"WILSON 


• 

• 


DEVOTA 


'J'y  suis,  j'y  reste 


BY 


AUGUSTA   EVANS   WILSON 

Author  of  "  St.  Elmo," 
"At  the  Mercy  of  Tiberius,"  "A  Speckled  Bird,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATIONS    BT 

STUART  TRAVIS 


NEW  YORK 
G.   W.   DILLINGHAM  CO. 


COPYRIGHT,  1907,  BY 
G.  W.  DILLINGHAM   COMPANY 

Issued  June,  iqffj 
Devota 


Press  of  J.  J.  Little  &  Co. 
Astor  Place,  New  York 


TO   MY   BROTHER 

JOHN   HOWARD   EVANS 


2138990 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


"  Should  the  day  ever  arrive  may  I  be  there  to 

paint  the  real  woman  " Frontispiece     45 

" *«/'«/  suis,  j'y  rested  He  lives  that  historic  motto !"     40 

An  overwhelming  sorrow  seized  and  shook  the  lonely 

woman  by  the  dial 80 

"  Roy— my  own  Roy  " 


DEVOTA 

TELEGRAM,  Madam.  The 
messenger  waits  for  an  an- 
swer." 

The  butler  held  out  a  silver  salver, 
and  Mrs.  Rexford  Churchill  laid  aside 
her  embroidery  and  took  the  ominous 

yellow  envelope. 

Glancing  over  the  contents,  her  face 

brightened. 

"  No  answer,  Ramsay.  Tell  Hansel 
to  take  the  dog-cart  to  the  station  in 
ample  time  to  meet  the  5.42  train,  as 
Miss  Lindsay  is  coming.  The  trap  and 
victoria  are  in  the  hands  of  the  fishing 
party  who  may  be  late  returning  home." 

The  hostess  turned  toward  her  com- 


panion,  an  elderly  woman  whose  white 
hair  was  partly  covered  by  a  lace  cap. 
'  This  is  certainly  a  charming  sur- 
prise, and  will  be  as  welcome  to  you  and 
the  Bishop  as  it  is  to  me. 
"Listen,  Mrs.  Roscoe: 

*  I  sail  on  Saturday.  Decided  sud- 
denly to  run  up  for  a  night  only  to  say 
good-bye.  Expect  me  by  5.42  express. 
If  bungalow  is  crowded  put  cot  in 
nursery.  Must  return  on  8.20  train 
to-morrow  morning. 

'DEVOTA  LINDSAY/ 

'  When  I  planned  this  house  party 
she  promised  to  join  us,  but  afterward 
wrote  cancelling  the  engagement,  which 
she  said  she  could  not  keep  because  her 
uncle  insisted  on  sailing  abroad  earlier 
than  she  had  anticipated.  Only  three 
days  ago  I  received  farewell  notes  and 


DEVOTA 


15 


a  box  of  souvenirs  for  my  children  who 
simply  worship  her." 

"Are  you  an  old  friend  of  Miss 
Lindsay? "  asked  the  Bishop's  wife, 
peering  over  the  top  of  her  gold-rimmed 
glasses. 

"I  made  her  acquaintance  about  three 
years  ago — under  circumstances  that 
proved  her  an  angel  of  mercy  to  me 
and  mine.  While  in  Switzerland,  my 
husband  was  called  home  on  urgent 
business,  leaving  us  to  follow  him  a 
few  weeks  later.  Two  days  after  we 
sailed,  a  frightful  storm  set  in,  and  I 
and  my  elder  children  were  so  sea-sick 
we  could  not  hold  up  our  heads,  even 
when  my  baby  boy  developed  malig- 
nant diphtheria.  His  nurse  deserted 
us,  fellow  passengers  shunned  us  as  if 
we  were  lepers,  and  only  the  steamer's 


DEVOTA 


surgeon  ventured  to  assist  in  caring  for 
the  stricken  child.  Then  Miss  Lindsay, 
though  a  total  stranger,  came  to  the 
rescue — gave  up  her  stateroom  to  my 
two  children,  Grace  and  Otto,  whom 
she  placed  in  charge  of  her  maid,  an  ad- 
mirable woman  of  middle  age,  and, 
though  we  had  never  met  before,  Miss 
Lindsay  shared  my  room  and  nursed 
my  baby  day  and  night.  We  were  three 
days  overdue,  and  when  my  husband 
met  us  at  the  pier,  he  carried  the  older 
children  to  their  grandmother,  but  that 
dear,  blessed  girl,  Devota  Lindsay, 
went  with  me  to  the  isolated  ward  of  an 
infirmary,  and  remained  until  my  poor 
little  one  was  pronounced  well.  Do  you 
wonder  we  have  all  lifted  her  to  a  pedes- 
tal as  high  as  the  court-house  clock 
tower?  " 


"  Probably  your  great  intimacy  with 
Miss  Lindsay  enables  you  to  fully  un- 
derstand her  character,  which  seems  to 
most  of  us  an  enigma." 

"  My  dear  madam,  an  attempt  at  in- 
timacy with  her  would  prove  as  satis- 
factory and  responsive  as  a  flirtation 
with  the  Sphinx.  Dearly  as  I  love,  and 
warmly  as  I  admire  her,  I  should  never 
presume  to  intrude  on  personal  matters. 
Her  beauty  and  gracious  magnetism 
draw  one  very  close,  yet  I  am  always 
conscious  that  some  invisible  bar  is 
never  let  down,  and  that  impalpable 
barrier  hedges  her  from  curious  ques- 
tioning. She  is  the  only  woman  I  know 
who  absolutely  declines  personal  confi- 
dences, abhors  gossip,  and  never  talks 
about  herself.  One  afternoon  at  a 
*  reception/  where  a  scandalous  record 


was  severely  criticised  by  an  intimate 
associate  of  the  indiscreet  lady  under 
fire,  I  heard  Miss  Lindsay  say:  '  That 
shrewd  cynic's  advice  was  wise,  "  Live 
with  your  friends  remembering  they 
may  one  day  be  your  enemies." 
She  certainly  accepts  his  rule  of  con- 
duct." 

"  She  has  refused  so  many  conspicu- 
ously eligible  offers,  that  no  one  believes 
she  will  ever  marry,  and  it  surely  is  re- 
grettable that  her  great  fortune  should 
not  be  consecrated  to  Christian  philan- 
thropy. Dr.  Bevan,  her  rector,  dined 
with  us  recently,  and  he  and  the  Bishop 
deplored  her  complete  indifference  to 
church  work.  Dr.  Bevan  said  he  had 
made  her  president  of  the  *  Charity 
Guild,'  and  when  he  called  to  urge  upon 
her,  acceptance  of  the  responsible  po- 


DEFOTA 


19 


sition  that  involved  an  individual  in- 
vestigation of  needy  sufferers,  she 
waved  him  off,  exclaiming:  '  Slum- 
ming! Please  be  so  kind  as  to  excuse 
me  from  that  variety  of  church  picnic, 
of  Guild  outing.  Assess  me  as  you 
think  proper,  or  as  the  charity  needs 
demand,  but  "  slumming "  includes 
draggled  skirts,  and  soiled,  defaced 
ideals;  and  no  laundries  exist  for  the 
purification  and  repairing  of  be- 
smirched ideals.'  She  seems  utterly 
incapable  of  any  spiritual  exaltation, 
and  her  rector  assured  us  she  paid 
promptly  her  church  and  charity  dues 
just  as  perfunctorily  as  her  real 
estate  taxes,  and  her  insurance  poli- 
cies  " 

"  Dr.  Bevan  appears  to  have  forgot- 
ten the  costly  new  reredos  she  erected 


20 


DEVOTA 


for  us  in  St.  Luke's,"  interrupted  Mrs. 
Churchill. 

"  Not  at  all,  my  dear,  but  he  deplores 
the  fact  that  she  gave  it  with  no  more 
enthusiasm  than  she  would  have  shown 
in  ordering  a  new  roof,  or  a  plate  glass 
front  for  one  of  her  office  buildings." 

"I  fancy  gushing  enthusiasm  in 
Miss  Lindsay  would  surprise  us  quite 
as  much  as  a  lava  flow  on  the  Jungf  rau. 
This  is  the  era  of  sensational  fads  and 
whimsies,  and  of  spectacular  philan- 
thropic feats,  but  I  believe  my  noble 
friend  fondles  no  pet '  mission/  has  no 
fetich — unless  it  be  the  splendid  pipe 
organ  in  her  music  room,  or  my  own 
young  barbarian  Rex,  whose  life  she 
saved  by  careful  nursing." 

"  Of  course  you  know  her  family  his- 
tory is  rather  peculiar." 


"  She  has  never  referred  to  it,  but 
social  gossip  always  traces  outlines  as 
regards  millionaires'  domestic  laun- 
dries." 

"  The  facts  are  well  known  to  a  few 
persons.  Hugh  Lindsay,  this  woman's 
father,  was  a  remarkably  handsome, 
dashing  young  man  with  barely  money 
enough  to  pay  his  tailor  and  board  bills, 
when  a  rich  college  chum  carried  him  in 
his  yacht  to  England.  There  he  met 
Lady  Shirley ,  who  had  been  be- 
trothed by  her  father  and  mother  to  an 
elderly,  gouty,  widowed  earl,  with  the 
expectation  that  a  marriage  settlement 
would  enable  her  parents  to  reclaim  a 
certain  estate  that  was  heavily  encum- 
bered. The  girl  was  young  and  head- 
strong, infatuated  with  Hugh  Lindsay, 
and  one  day  at  Monte  Carlo,  while  her 


22 


DEFOTA 


parents  were  in  the  casino,  Lady  Shir- 
ley met  Lindsay,  whose  friend's  yacht 
was  lying  off  Monaco,  and  she  ran 
away  with  the  impecunious,  good-look- 
ing young  athlete.  An  American 
clergyman  went  with  them  to  the  front 
of  the  Church  of  Ste.  Devota,  and  mar- 
ried them  there — while  the  January  fes- 
tival procession  in  honor  of  the  saint 
thronged  the  church.  That  explains 
the  singular  misnomer  of  your  friend's 
baptismal  label — Devota.  The  soul  of 
the  girl  martyr,  whose  burial  was  dove 
conducted,  was  supposed  to  hover  in 
benediction  over  the  nuptial  ceremony, 
hence  the  only  child  of  this  marriage 
was  christened  Devota.  Ludicrously 
inappropriate  for  a  character  devoid  of 
spirituality!  Very  naturally  the  bride's 
family  disowned  so  disobedient  a  child, 


and  the  young  couple  soon  confronted 
poverty.  Lindsay  went  manfully  to 
work  as  clerk  in  a  law  office,  and  they 
lived  humbly  and  quietly  for  nearly 
two  years,  when  lo!  his  brother  Ormond 
died  suddenly,  leaving  an  enormous 
fortune  in  gold,  silver  and  copper  mines 
located  in  a  western  territory.  Ormond 
was  a  bachelor,  an  adventurous  pros- 
pector in  regions  where  a  great  railroad 
was  only  partly  finished,  and  as  he  left 
no  other  heirs  his  vast  estate  was  divided 
between  Hugh  and  another  brother, 
Hollis  Lindsay,  giving  millions  to  each. 
Then  began  social  exploitation  and 
'yellow  journal'  comments  on  'princely 
expenditures'  for  town  and  country 
houses,  yachts,  etc.,  etc.,  all  kept  up  on 
lavish  lines  of  strictly  English  methods. 
Mrs.  Lindsay's  titled  parents  suddenly 


remembered  her  existence,  and  made 
cordial  overtures  for  a  reconciliation, 
which  were  spurned  hy  the  resentful 
daughter  who  refused  even  an  amicable 
correspondence.  She  was  an  extremely 
beautiful  and  haughty  woman,  but  most 
devotedly  attached  to  her  handsome, 
loyal  husband,  and  he  never  recovered 
from  the  shock  of  her  death.  They 
were  returning  from  a  ride,  and  on  the 
stone  drive-way  near  the  front  door, 
their  only  child  Devota,  about  five  years 
old,  was  romping  with  her  dog.  Sud- 
denly she  darted  from  behind  a  clump 
of  dense  shrubbery,  and  as  her  white 
skirts  fluttered,  Mrs.  Lindsay's  horse 
shied,  reared  and  threw  her  to  the 
ground,  killing  her  instantly.  Hugh 
Lindsay  became  a  morose,  morbid  re- 
cluse, avoiding  the  sight  of  his  poor,  in- 


DEFOTA 


25 


fife 


nocent  child  whom  he  regarded  as  the 
cause  of  his  wife's  tragic  death.  Three 
years  later  he  died,  leaving  Devota  to 
the  guardianship  of  his  brother  Hollis, 
who  at  once  shut  up  the  houses,  sold 
yacht,  horses  and  hounds,  and  placed 
his  niece  in  the  hands  of  an  old  maid 
aunt,  sister  of  his  mother.  She  lived  in 
a  small  town  in  a  distant  part  of  this 
State  near  the  mountains.  Devota  was 
kept  there  in  comparative  seclusion, 
trained  by  governesses  and  tutors  until 
she  was  about  eighteen;  then  Hollis 
took  her  abroad,  and  as  he  has  long  been 
a  globe-trotting  *  scientist'  —  heaven 
save  the  mark! — the  girl  was  dragged 
hither  and  yon  among  byways  and  jun- 
gles, and  only  God  knows  what  heathen 
holes.  Hollis  Lindsay  has  no  more  reli- 
gion than  the  Java  "pithecanthropus" 


26 


DEVOTA 


he  declares  is  the  biological  Adam,  and 
which  he  accepts  as  his  own  ancestor." 

"  She  is  tenderly  attached  to  her 
uncle,  and,  Mrs.  Roscoe,  I  heard  your 
husband  say  Hollis  Lindsay  ranked 
high  as  a  scholar  and  scientist,"  ven- 
tured Mrs.  Churchill. 

"Yes,  more's  the  pity.  Do  you 
know  what  he  has  the  effrontery  to 
assert  as  proof  of  his  '  monism '  sophis- 
tries?" 

Mrs.  Churchill  bit  her  lip  to  restrain 
a  laugh,  and  bent  over  her  embroidery 
hoop. 

"No;  and  bless  my  poor  ignorant 
soul,  you  must  excuse  me  if  I  confess 
that  I  don't  much  care;  because  we 
women  never  understand  tiresome 
wrangles  over  fossil  bugs,  snakes  and 
beasts  that  were  kind  and  decent 


enough  to  crawl  into  the  earth  and  be- 
come extinct  before  they  had  a  chance 
to  worry  us.  The  agreeable  fact  that 
appeals  to  my  sympathy  is  that  Mr. 
Lindsay  is  an  extraordinarily  hand- 
some man,  a  delightful  talker,  and 
most  charming  host." 

"  As  head  of  a  Christian  household, 
you  will  at  least  admit  that  it  is  part 
of  your  duty  to  guard  the  sanctity  of 
Bible  records.  Hollis  Lindsay  de- 
clares Cain  took  for  his  wife  '  a  highly 
developed  female  animal/  of  course  a 
beast;  doubtless  a  monkey!  Think  of 
such  a  man  as  suitable  to  guide  the 
training  of  a  young  woman!  It  is 
monstrous  that  atheism  should  prowl 
through  the  world,  clothed  in  purple 
and  fine  linen,  panoplied  with  wealth 
and  fashionable  influence — and  sowing 


• 


poison  at  every  step.  Heresy  is  just  as 
contagious  as  smallpox — and  vicious 
environment  produces  depravity." 

But,  Mrs.  Roscoe,  luckily  there  are 
exceptions.  Sometimes  it  happens  that 
'breed  is  stronger  than  pasture.'  Romu- 
lus and  Remus  were  baser  than  beasts 
if  they  had  not  dearly  loved  and  toddled 
after  their  four-footed  foster  mother, 
yet  no  fable  tells  us  they  imbibed  car- 
nivorous tastes  or  pranced  around  as 
weir  wolves.  Last  winter  I  met  an 
English  gentleman  in  Washington  who 
told  me  something  I  should  like  to 
verify.  He  admired  Miss  Lindsay  im- 
mensely, but  he  censured  severely  her 
treatment  of  her  grandmother  in  Lon- 
don. Mrs.  Roscoe,  do  you  know  the 
circumstances?  " 
"  Yes,  I  have  the  facts  from  tKe  wife 


of  our  minister  who  presented  Devota 
at  Court.  It  appears  that  Lady  Shir- 
ley's mother  saw  your  friend  on  that 
occasion,  and  so  startling  was  the  girl's 
resemblance  to  her  own  lovely  mother, 
that  the  dowager  grandmother  almost 
swooned  at  sight  of  her.  Next  day  she 
wrote  a  most  affectionate  note  implor- 
ing the  young  woman  to  come  to  her, 
and  sent  her  carriage  and  maid  to  the 
hotel.  The  note  was  read  and  returned 
with  this  cruelly  curt  response :  *  I  am 
leaving  London  to-day.  Permit  me  to 
say  that  the  recognition  withheld  from 
my  mother  will  never  be  accepted  by 
her  child.'  Can  you  imagine  the  im- 
placable, rancorous  revenge  that  could 
so  harshly  reject  overtures  from  an 
aged,  white-haired  grandmother?  That 
girl  has  the  wrought-iron  will  of  Lady; 


Shirley.  Not  long  ago  Horace  Bing- 
ham  told  my  son  that  when  it  was  re- 
ported a  young  English  nobleman — 
lacking  money  to  repair  his  Elizabethan 
manor  house — was  trying  to  marry 
Miss  Lindsay,  Horace  asked  her  when 
she  would  wear  the  ancestral  diamonds 
his  lordship  offered  her,  and  she  replied 
icily:  'I  do  not  buy  my  jewels  from 
titled  peddlers.'  There!  I  hear  the 
Bishop  coughing  and  he  needs  his  loz- 
enges." 

As  the  door  closed  behind  Mrs.  Ros- 
coe,  her  hostess  laughed  softly  and 
murmured: 

"  Dear  old,  pre-sanctified  cat! " 
An  exceedingly  pretty  woman,  dow- 
ered with  a  kind  and  sunny  nature, 
Mrs.  Churchill  was  a  devotedly  tender 
wife  and  mother,  loyally  attached  to  her 


DEVOTA 


31 


church,  and  undeniably;  fond  of  Her  card 
club,  opera  box  and  gay  house-parties 
— the  latter  an  unusually  attractive  fea- 
ture of  summer  sojourns  at  her  villa, 
"  The  Oleanders." 

Two  hours  later  in  the  day,  she  sat 
before  the  oval  mirror  of  her  dressing- 
room,  watching  the  nimble  fingers  of 
the  maid  pile  her  black  hair  into  a  tow- 
ering pompadour,  while  Miss  Lindsay 
leaned  back  in  an  easy  chair  close  to  the 
onyx  toilet  table. 

Behind  the  blue  crest  of  a  distant 
peak  the  sun  had  disappeared,  but 
the  vivid  light  of  afterglow  streamed 
through  the  open  window  framed  in 
riotous  clusters  of  reve  d'or  roses;  and 
beyond  the  eastern  rock-bound  shore 
line  stretched  a  breeze-dimpled  yellow 
sea,  where  sail  boats  swung  like  gigan- 


32 


DEFOTA 


tic  white  butterflies  over  a  wind-swept 
field  of  jonquils. 

"  Mrs.  Churchill,  where  are  the  chil- 
dren? As  I  must  leave  after  an  early 
cup  of  coffee  in  the  morning,  I  should 
like  to  see  as  much  as  possible  of  them 
this  evening." 

"  All  gone  to  a  dog  show  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  afterwards  to  a  birthday  tea 
at  the  Whiteheads'.  I  tried  to  buy  off 
Rex,  and  offered  sundry  bribes,  as  he  is 
rather  too  young  yet;  but  he  is  such  a 
persistent,  wilful  little  sinner,  and  be- 
sides, the  governess,  seconded  by  Grace 
and  Otto,  stood  security  for  his  good 
behavior  at  the  tea-party.  There,  Anice 
— my  head  is  sufficiently  like  the  tower 
of  Babel!  Get  things  ready  for  Miss 
Lindsay  and  shake  out  her  dinner 
gown." 


DEVOTA 


33 


The  maid  fastened  a  diamond  cres- 
cent in  her  mistress's  hair  and  withdrew. 

"  Now,  why  must  you  hurry  away  on 
that  first  train? " 

"  Uncle  Hollis  wishes  to  read  a  paper 
on  the  opening  day  of  a  congress  in 
Geneva,  and  any  delay  in  our  sailing 
day  after  to-morrow  would  cancel  his 
engagement.  So  many  matters  remain 
unfinished  I  decided  only  at  the  last 
moment  to  run  up  for  a  night,  and  I 
very  much  doutt  the  wisdom  of  coming 
at  all."  She  rose,  closed  the  door 
of  the  dressing-room  and  resumed  her 
seat. 

"  Miss  Devota,  how  wonderfully  well 
you  look!  Each  year  seems  to  add  to 
your  fresh  loveliness  and  you  appear 
younger  than  when  I  first  saw  you. 
Tell  a  needy  friend  how  you  manage  to 


DEFOTA 


placate  wrinkling,  sallowing,  greying 
time?  " 

"  My  health  is  perfect;  my  hair  and 
teeth  remain  very  loyal,  and  as  I  never 
insulted  my  complexion  by  any  at- 
tempts to  improve  it,  there  seems  no 
grievance  for  it  to  redress.  With 
thanks  for  your  friendly  compliments 
let  us  dismiss  my  personality.  Now,  I 
owe  you  an  explanation  which  your 
clock  warns  me  must  be  brief.  I  am 
sure  you  will  not  doubt  my  sincere  de- 
sire to  see  you  all  before  going  abroad 
— even  when  I  tell  you  that  a  very  dif- 
ferent motive  compelled  this  visit.  I 
came  here  especially  to  see  Governor 
Armitage,  who,  I  am  told,  is  still  your 
guest." 

*  Yes,  he  remains  with  us  until  Satur- 
day; but  you  knew  he  would  belong  to 


DEFOTA 


35 


this  house-party,  for  it  was  after  I  sent 
you  a  revised  list  of  friends  who  had 
accepted,  that  you  suddenly  declined 
joining  us." 

"  At  that  time  there  existed  no  reason 
for  any  wish  to  meet  him." 

"  Is  it  possible  you  have  never  seen 
him?" 

"  I  have  seen  him  several  times;  once 
or  twice  at  the  opera  he  sat  quite  near 
my  box — but  I  have  not  even  a  bowing 
acquaintance  with  him." 

"  You  have  not  been  to  the  State 
Capitol?" 

"  Not  during  his  incumbency.  You 
know  all  the  horrible  conditions  that 
surround  our  unfortunate  friend  Amy 
Clinton.  The  date  of  her  husband's 
execution  is  only  five  days  distant,  and 
every  effort  to  delay  it  or  secure  a  par- 


36 


DEVOTA 


don  has  failed.  Poor  Amy's  baby  is 
critically  ill,  and  old  Mrs.  Clinton  is  so 
prostrated  since  her  unsuccessful  jour- 
ney to  the  Governor,  in  her  son's  be- 
half, that  neither  she  nor  the  wife  can 
make  a  farewell  visit  to  the  prison. 
This  morning  an  urgent  message  over 
the  telephone  called  me  to  the  Clinton 
home,  where  I  found  Amy  frantic  with 
grief  and  dread.  She  showed  me  a  tele- 
gram from  her  husband:  *I  have  no 
hope.  Chaplain  says  only  one  last 
chance;  insists  you  send  Devota  Lind- 
say to  Governor.  She  may  save  me. 
For  God's  sake  get  her  help.'  Can  you 
imagine  my  painful  perplexity?  Amy 
could  not  give  any  reason  for  the  chap- 
lain's belief — she  said  he  was  a  new 
man  in  the  prison  work  and  she  could 
not  recall  his  name.  I  tried  to  convince 


her  it  was  utterly  impossible  that  I 
could  succeed  where  vastly  more  power- 
ful influences  had  repeatedly  failed; 
but  in  her  frenzied  condition  she  lis- 
tened to  no  refusal.  Knowing  the  hope- 
lessness of  the  attempt,  I  resisted  all 
appeals  until  she  lifted  her  gasping 
baby  close  to  my  face,  and  almost 
screamed :  '  Can  you  die  in  peace  if  you 
refuse  to  try  to  save  my  darling's  father 
from  the  gallows?  Will  you  see  her  in 
her  coffin  disgraced  because  you  would 
not  lift  a  finger? '  So  I  am  here,  on  a 
fool's  errand,  confronting  humiliating 
defeat." 

Mrs.  Churchill's  eyes  were  full  of 
tears,  and  leaning  forward  she  softly 
stroked  Devota's  beautiful  hands. 

"  Oh,  my  dear — what  a  frightful  or- 
deal for  you!  I  would  encourage  you 


38 


DEVOTA 


if  I  dared,  but  while  the  Governor  is 
bland  as  May  sunshine  he  is  simply  in- 
exorable when  once  he  decides  a  matter. 
Feminine  wiles  and  feminine  wails 
make  no  more  impression  on  him  than 
summer  dew  on  an  iron-clad;  and  his 
cool,  smiling  way  of  shieing  at  every 
suggestion  of  marriage  makes  me  ab- 
solutely sure  that  some  pretty,  vixenish 
kitten  of  a  girl  has  clawed  and  frazzled 
his  heart  strings.  How  I  wish  I  could 
help  you!  Poor  Amy — it  is  heart- 
breaking to  think  of  her  awful  fate." 

"  You  can  help  me  by  manoeuvring 
to  secure  an  opportunity  for  a  brief 
presentation  of  Amy's  appeal." 

Mrs.  Churchill  clasped  and  unclasped 
a  jewelled  serpent  at  her  wrist,  and  her 
brows  contracted. 

"  That  could  easily  be  accomplished 


DEFOTA 


39 


by  his  taking  you  in  to  dinner,  but  un- 
luckily I  am  handicapped  by  the  Bish- 
op's wife  who  arrived  only  this  morning 
and  has  precedence.  Oh,  the  eternal 
unfitness  of  ecclesiastical  ingredients  in 
secular  pie!" 

"  I  am  very  glad  he  escorts  Mrs. 
Roscoe,  because  I  could  not  possibly 
broach  my  distressing  business  in  the 
presence  of  a  chattering  dinner  party, 
and  I  must  obtain  a  private  inter- 
view. ' ' 

"  I  have  arranged  to  consign  you  dur- 
ing dinner,  to  the  tender  mercies  of 
your  avowed  naval  worshipper,  Captain 
Winstead,  who  is  spending  the  week 
with  his  mother,  and  comes  to  us  for 
this  evening.  The  Governor  and  his 
secretary  have  exclusive  use  of  the  li- 
brary, and  sometimes  they  are  shut  up 


40 DEFOTA 

there  after  dinner.  We  can  watch  his 
movements,  and  you  must  storm  the 
citadel  and  expel  Mr.  Walton  who  lives 
at  his  typewriter." 

On  the  paved  driveway  beneath  the 
window  sounded  the  beating  of  horses' 
hoofs,  and  a  man's  deep,  mellow  voice 
saying: 

"  I'm  sorry  I  cannot  yield  to  your 
wishes,  and,  my  dear  Churchill,  you 
should  remember  that  you  once  gave 
me  an  agate  seal  inscribed — '  J'y  suis, 
j'y  reste' ' 

Devota  shivered  and  rose.  Mrs. 
Churchill  caught  her  hand. 

"  Those  two  have  just  returned  from 
their  daily  horseback  ride,  when,  secure 
from  eavesdroppers,  they  discuss  State 
politics.  Did  you  hear,  f  J'y  suis,  j'y 
reste?'  He  lives  that  historic  motto! 


DEFOTA 


41 


My  husband  thinks  him  the  noblest  man 
on  earth,  despite  the  fact  that  as  an 
attorney  for  various  classes,  Rexford 
prepares  bills  that  the  Governor  some- 
times fights  stubbornly.  A  great  many 
years  ago,  before  his  political  career 
began,  when  he  was  almost  obscure,  a 
horrid  scandal  was  hatched  against 
Royal  Armitage,  who  it  seems  held 
some  professional  secret,  and  rather 
than  betray  the  real  sinner  he  kept  si- 
lence, and  endured  disgrace  until  an 
unexpected  death-bed  confession  fully 
cleared  his  character ;  and  since  then  the 
people  in  that  part  of  the  State  have 
never  been  able  to  do  enough  for  him. 
This  is  his  second  term.  Now  run  away 
and  get  ready  for  battle.  You  must 
look  your  best  to-night  and  have  barely 
time  to  dress.  By  the  by,  speaking  of 


42 


DEFOTA 


deadly  battles,  wait  a  minute.  Do  you 
mind  telling  me  why  and  how  you  dared 
to  cross  swords  with  my  august  and 
formidable  cousin,  who  has  half  the  al- 
phabet in  capital  letters  dangling  like  a 
kite's  ragged  tail  after  her  name,  Pro- 
fessor Hannah  Barbara  Brown?  " 

Miss  Lindsay  had  reached  the  door, 
but  paused  and  looked  back  over  her 
shoulder: 

"As  president  of  her  college  she 
wished  me  to  endow  a  chair  of  Philol- 
ogy and  Etymology;  and  to  convince 
me  of  the  absolute  necessity  of '  broader 
lines  *  of  culture  in  education  of  girls, 
she  commented  on  the  surprising  ig- 
norance of  some  women  who  do  not 
know  that  the  abusive  word  *  virago ' 
was  a  valued  title  of  intellectual  honor 
in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  that  its 


DEVOTA 


43 


twin  horror  *  termagant*  originally 
designated  a  deity.  In  very  respectful 
terms  I  declined  her  scheme,  on  the 
ground  that  the  new  dictatorship  of  hig 
wigs  in  orthography — the  prophets  of 
revised  language — would  soon  leave  no 
etymon  for  students  to  hunt  down; 
'  f  onetik  ref  awm '  would  end  that  schol- 
arly game.  I  tried  in  vain  to  propitiate 
her  by  offering  to  provide  a  chair  of 
*  Household  Economics,  Sanitation  and 
Decoration ' ;  but  she  deluged  me  with 
vitriolic  sarcasm,  and  in  closing  the  cor- 
respondence, I  ventured  to  quote  a 
crusty  old  critic:  *  If  the  stockings  are 
blue,  the  petticoat  must  be  long/  " 


44 


DEVOTA 


CHAPTER   II 


HEN"  a  master  painter,  crowned 
with  international  renown,  had 
unsuccessfully  attempted  a 
portrait  of  Devota  Lindsay,  he  turned 
the  canvas  head  down  with  face  to 
the  wall,  and  vented  his  irrepressible 
chagrin. 

"  Miss  Lindsay  will  pardon  me  for 
declining  to  waste  any  longer  her  pa- 
tience, and  my  time  in  finishing  a  pic- 
ture that  can  be  merely  a  pretty  mask. 
Despite  its  classic  lines  and  exquisite 
coloring  the  locked  face  you  show  me, 
no  more  reflects  your  individual  men- 
tality and  emotional  potentialities  than 
some  flawless  alabaster  mask.  If  you 


DEVOTA 


will  permit  a  frank  analysis,  I  should 
say  your  habitual  expression  is  that  of 
complete,  well-trained  repose,  imper- 
vious to  shocks;  and  even  your  eyes — 
if  windows  of  your  soul — are  deftly 
curtained  with  a  radiant  mist  defying 
scrutiny.  If  you  will  excuse  the  argot 
of  your  own  countrymen,  should  the 
day  ever  arrive  when  you  '  let  yourself 
go/  may  I  be  there  to  paint  the  real 
woman!  I  shall  destroy  this  baffling 
work,  retaining  only  the  hand  and  arm, 
which  you  must  grant  me  as  some  solace 
for  defeat.  The  day  is  not  distant  when 
you  will  recognize  your  wrist  and  fingers 
in  my  '  Egeria  '  signalling  Numa." 

Mature  womanhood  very  rarely  pre- 
serves the  fresh  and  dainty  tints  pecul- 
iar to  girlish  youth,  and  to-night  as 
Miss  Lindsay  walked  slowly  down  the 


46 


DEWTA 


stairs,  one  might  well  have  doubted  the 
number  of  years  that  had  rolled  so  ten- 
derly, leaving  no  credentials  to  line 
their  passage. 

Her  dinner  dress  of  heliotrope  chif- 
fon was  cut  square  at  the  neck,  gar- 
nished with  filmy  Mechlin,  and  around 
her  throat  she  wore  a  broad  collar  com- 
posed of  three  rows  of  large  fire  opals, 
set  in  delicate  Venetian  network  of  gold 
wire,  from  the  centre  of  which  hung  a 
Maltese  cross  of  diamonds.  In  her  silk 
girdle  was  fastened  a  bunch  of  long- 
stemmed  double  white  violets.  The 
slender  handle  of  her  circular  fan  was 
studded  with  opals,  and  the  disk  glowed 
with  its  iridescent  border  of  peacock 
feathers. 

Avoiding  the  main  door  of  the  long 
parlor  whence  came  the  hum  and  chat- 


ter  of  many  voices,  she  paused  in  an 
adjoining  music-room,  where  a  lace- 
curtained  arch-way  permitted  a  view  of 
the  assembled  guests.  Above  the  arch 
an  electric  light  glared  over  her  face 
and  figure,  enhancing  the  golden  shim- 
mer of  her  hair,  and  the  starry  bril- 
liance of  the  long-lashed  velvety  hazel 
eyes.  Cautiously  lifting  the  outside 
edge  of  the  drapery,  she  looked  at  the 
various  groups,  and  her  gaze  fastened 
on  one  where  the  hostess,  the  Bishop's 
wife,  and  Mrs.  Van  Allen — a  gay  young 
widow — clustered  around  the  tall,  ath- 
letic form  of  Governor  Royal  Armitage. 
At  forty-three  years  of  age  he 
looked  older;  his  massive,  finely  mod- 
elled head  and  very  regular  features 
justified  the  generally  conceded  epithet 
"  handsome  " ;  yet  in  repose  his  face 


was  cold,  and  the  sombre,  dark  grey 
eyes  rarely  changed  their  brooding,  en 
garde  expression,  even  when  the  well- 
cut  lips  parted  in  a  smile  that  disclosed 
a  superb  set  of  teeth. 

Devota  studied  the  countenance  for 
a  moment,  and  crushed  back  a  half- 
uttered  moan,  while  a  tremor  shook  her ; 
then  lifted  the  lace  curtain  and  entered 
the  drawing-room. 

"Ah,  Miss  Lindsay,  how  welcome 
you  are  after  we  had  abandoned  all 
hope  of  this  pleasure!  Following  my 
example,  our  entire  household  wept 
over  your  failure  to  come  sooner.  My 
wife  tells  me  you  know  everybody  here 
except  the  Governor,  and  since  you  are 
strangers,  I  am  glad  it  is  my  privilege 
to  make  you  both  my  debtor  by  an  in- 
troduction." 


Mr.  Churchill  drew  her  hand  to  his 
arm,  and  she  bowed  to  right  and  left  to 
guests,  as  the  host  led  her  forward. 
The  Governor  was  bending  over  an 
engraving  in  Mrs.  Roscoe's  hand,  but 
suddenly  drew  himself  erect  and  threw 
his  head  back  proudly. 

"  Gov*  Armitage,  I  am  exceedingly 
glad  to  present  you  to  Miss  Lindsay, 
our  family  mascot." 

Both  bowed  impressively,  and  a  deep, 
well-trained,  manly  voice  answered: 

"  I  assure  you  it  is  a  pleasant  surprise 
to  find  myself  numbered  among  those 
so  fortunate  as  to  claim  Miss  Lindsay's 
acquaintance." 

The  cold  grey  eyes  looked  steadily 
at  Devota,  but  his  face  evinced  no  more 
pleasure  than  the  granite  gargoyle  on 
the  roof. 


DEFOTA 


"  It  is  my  privilege  to  remember  that 
a  great  many  years  ago,  when  quite 
young,  I  met  your  Excellency,  but  cer- 
tainly I  have  no  right  to  expect  that 
after  the  long  lapse  of  time  any  recog- 
nition could  occur." 

"  ,You  are  very  gracious  to  recall  a 
casual  incident  of  '  auld  lang  syne ' 
that  I  dared  not  flatter  myself  you 
cared  to  remember;  but  that  you  have 
not  entirely  forgotten  it  is  as  unex- 
pected as  it  is  complimentary." 

The  eyes  of  each  probed  deep,  but 
neither  flinched,  and  as  Mrs.  Churchill 
arched  her  brows  and  pinched  her  hus- 
band's arm,  Devota  smiled,  and  turn- 
ing away  held  out  her  hand  to  Bishop 
Roscoe. 

"My  dear  Miss  Lindsay,  I  am  glad 
to  have  an  opportunity  to  wish  you 


Godspeed  on  the  long  tour  you  con- 
template. When  do  you  sail? " 

"  At  dawn,  day  after  to-morrow." 

Mrs.  Churchill's  fan  tapped  the 
Bishop's  wrist. 

"  It  is  your  duty;  to  lecture  her 
soundly  on  her  descent  into  the  Bohe- 
mian ranks  of  roaming  *  bachelor  girls/ 
who,  running  after  tinsel  kites  they  call 
'  careers/  turn  their  hacks  on  all  home 
duties,  forsake  every  form  of  genuine 
feminine  domesticity,  cast  family  ties 
to  the  winds  and  herd  in  tenements, 
boat-houses  and  mountain  camps.  Pro- 
fessional female  tramps ! " 

"  I  am  very  sure  he  will  agree  with 
me  in  thinking  that  Mrs.  Churchill  is 
cruel  in  smothering  her  innocent  friend 
under  an  avalanche  of  opprobrious  epi- 
thets. My  sole  *  family  tie '  happens  to 


be  Uncle  Hollis,  and  I  hold  fast  to  him, 
though  to  do  so  necessitates  surrender 
of '  home  duties  '  in  order  to  keep  under 
his  protecting  wing.  Not  at  all  a 
*  bachelor  girl '  if  you  please ;  but  hav- 
ing recently  bidden  a  reluctant  and  tear- 
ful adieu  to  my  thirty-first  birthday,  I 
have  deliberately  selected  a  very  differ- 
ent and  more  subdued  type  of  serene 
old-maidhood — the  effete  and  much- 
derided  spinster  of  less  degenerate 
days,  a  hundred  years  ago — who  stud- 
ied Mrs.  Chapone  and  Mrs.  Opie,  spent 
all  tender  affections  on  pugs,  canaries 
and  knitting  needles,  sternly  confined 
hilarity  within  the  prim  boundary  of  the 
minuet,  and  revered  chaperons  almost 
as  devoutly  as  the  f  Apostles'  Creed.' ' 

The   announcement    of    dinner    re- 
arranged the  groups,  and  escorted  by. 


DEFOTA 


53 


Captain  Winstead,  Devota  was  seated 
at  an  unusually  large  circular  table 
where  sixteen  persons  found  ample 
room.  There  were  no  candelabra  so 
suggestive  of  childish  "  peek-a-boo  " 
or  the  tinsel  frippery  of  Christmas 
trees,  and  the  colored  tapers  of  juvenile 
birthday  fetes;  but  from  the  ceiling  a 
flood  of  light  fell  from  clustered  elec- 
tric globes  upon  glass,  silver  and  the 
snowy  damask  cloth,  wherein  woven 
wreathes  of  orchids  seemed  to  stand  out 
as  though  embroidered  in  satin  tissues. 
Neither  tall  vase  nor  bonbonniere  im- 
peded view  of  the  entire  table,  and  in 
the  center  a  long,  low  silver  shell  was 
filled  with  stephanotis  and  amber- edged 
Farleyense  fronds,  while  in  front  of 
each  guest  lay  a  slender  spray  of 
daphne  starred  with  bloom. 


* 


54  DEFOTA 

Mrs.  Churchill  sat  between  the  Gov- 
ernor, assigned  to  Mrs.  Roscoe,  and  the 
Bishop,  whose  next  neighbor  was  the 
vivacious  young  widow  Mrs.  Van  Al- 
len, a  recent  donor  to  his  favorite 
church  of  an  old  and  very  costly  silver 
sacrament  service  that  Cellini  was  said 
to  have  embossed  and.engraved. 

Gradually  the  overture  of  general 
chatter  diminished,  and  as  conversation 
became  dialogues  between  individual 
couples,  Devota  found  it  difficult  to 
fix  her  attention  upon  Captain  Win- 
stead's  remarks,  to  which  her  replies 
were  brief  and  perfunctory.  Notwith- 
standing her  efforts  to  resist  the  im- 
pulse, her  eyes  turned  often  to  the 
smiling  face  of  the  man  immediately 
opposite  her,  and  she  was  aware  that 
he  studiously  avoided  looking  at  her.  > 


DEFOTA 


55 


He  was  an  amused  listener  during 
the  progress  of  a  spirited  skirmish  be- 
tween the  hostess  and  Mrs.  Roscoe  on 
the  subject  of  "  bridge,"  which  the  lat- 
ter denounced  as  "  social  gambling  lep- 
rosy," that  was  swiftly  bringing  the 
morals  of  Monte  Carlo  into  family  cir- 
cles, and  all  phases  of  club  life.  Ap- 
parently claiming  victory  in  the  argu- 
ment, the  Bishop's  aggressive  wife  next 
opened  fire  on  the  Governor,  because  of 
his  failure  to  approve  a  bill  framed  to 
secure  a  large  appropriation  for  estab- 
Jishment  of  an  additional  State  re- 
formatory. 

"  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  you,  sir, 
could  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  cry  for  help 
that  calls  to  you  from  the  criminal  out- 
cast children,  whose  salvation  should  be 
your  dearest  aim.  An  enemy  of  re- 


formatories  at  the  head  of  our  State 
government  is  surely  a  mournful  and 
disheartening  spectacle." 

"  Really,  my  dear  madam,  your  in- 
dictment is  so  severe,  you  force  me  to 
plead  'not  guilty.'  For  a  thorough, 
efficacious  reformatory  system  I  am 
an  earnest  advocate,  but  my  convictions 
relative  to  desirable  methods  and  con- 
ditions may  not  meet  your  entire  ap- 
proval. When  I  was  vested  with  nec- 
essary authority  I  made  an  exhaustive 
inspection  of  all  State  penal  and  re- 
form institutions,  and  found  an  ample 
reformatory  centrally  located  and  well 
equipped  along  educational  and  indus- 
trial lines.  Regarding  it  as  a  vital 
question,  I  have  very  carefully  studied 
reports  of  various  farms,  schools,  etc., 
from  the  days  of  Pourtales'  tragic 


DEFOTA 


57 


failure,  and  I  trust  you  will  pardon  me 
if  I  frankly  confess  that  statistics  of 
juvenile  criminology  do  not  encourage 
me  to  increase  the  number  of  State  re- 
formatories. The  urgent  need  of  re- 
form is  too  appalling  to  be  ignored,  but 
the  facts  at  my  command  do  not  war- 
rant a  belief  that  herding  youthful 
offenders  at  State  compounds  or  simi- 
lar institutions  accomplishes  the  desired 
result.  A  profound  and  noble  student 
of  mankind  admonishes  us:  '  Children 
have  more  need  of  models  than  of 
critics.'  Of  course  incurable  moral  de- 
generates must  be  denied  opportunity 
to  prey  upon  their  fellow-creatures, 
and  for  this  sad  class,  provision  for 
seclusion  is  sufficient;  but  the  'cry  of 
the  children*  now  ringing  through 
our  land  is  for  parental  guardianship 


— for  the  return  of  domestic  control. 
Madam,  the  best,  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed reformatories  are  preventive 
as  well  as  corrective,  and  God  commis- 
sioned one  in  every  parent  to  whom 
He  intrusted  an  immortal  soul  for 
mental  and  moral  training.  No  out- 
flow rises  higher  than  its  source;  as  are 
the  family  standards,  usage  and  influ- 
ence, such  inevitably  must  be  the  trend 
of  the  nation — the  vast  aggregation  of 
those  practically  orphaned  as  regards 
parental  authority  and  guardianship. 
We  are  all  glad  to  remember  distin- 
guished exceptions  to  prevailing  condi- 
tions, but  how  little  genuine  home  life 
remains  to  leaven  the  social  masses? 
Do  fathers  and  mothers  fully  realize 
that  they  have  abdicated  their  throne 
on  the  hearthstone,  now  usurped  bjr 


servants  and  tutors,  and  that  some  day 
the  souls  of  their  neglected  sons  and 
daughters  will  be  lost  through  their 
failure  to  exert  proper  care,  and  watch- 
ful guardianship?  As  I  walk  the  streets 
of  our  cities  the  terrible  truth  becomes 
evident  that  parents  have  gone  out  after 
strange  club-gods,  and  the  pavements 
are  the  real  nurseries  of  our  boys 
and  girls.  America's  most  urgent 
national  need  is  the  revival  of  home 
life." 

"  In  order  to  promote  the  system  of 
reform  you  advocate  in  opposition  to 
Mrs.  Roscoe's  darling  scheme,  has  it 
never  occurred  to  you  that  it  might  be 
wise  to  establish  in  the  Executive  Man- 
sion a  model  household,  for  the  imita- 
tion of  our  State  where  other  experi- 
mental stations  of  various  character 


60 


DEFOTA 


seem  to  be  educational?"  asked  Mrs. 
Van  Allen. 

The  Governor  bowed  and  laughed  as 
he  replied: 

*  Your  rosy  suggestion  is  so  alluring 
that  my  utter  inability  to  adopt  it  fills 
me  with  poignant  regret.  Instead 
of  spending  the  past  ten  or  twelve 
years  in  trying  to  hypnotize  some  sweet 
woman  into  the  belief  that  I  was 
worthy  of  her  trust,  I  have  unwisely 
devoted  my  entire  energies  to  other  and 
far  less  charming  pursuits,  until  con- 
firmed old  bachelorship  now  absolutely 
bars  the  possibilty  of  any  change. 
Rest  assured  no  sour  grapes  mar  my 
vineyard,  and  the  hopelessly  unattain- 
able is  always  invested  with  additional 
value.  Knowing  my  defrauded  bache- 
lorhood seems  inevitably  unalterable — 


DEVOTA 


are  you  not  needlessly  cruel  in  dang- 
ling so  tempting  a  pink  sugar-plum 
beyond  my  grasp? " 

"My  dear  child,  don't  soil  your  pretty 
fingers  by  stoning  the  prophets! "  said 
the  Bishop,  patting  the  bare,  plump 
arm  of  his  near  neighbor.  "  Armitage 
is  right.  He  has  diagnosed  the  social 
sarcoma  that  threatens  our  national 
vitals.  Instead  of  purifying  and  ex- 
alting the  moral  code,  the  press,  the 
politicians,  even  some  of  the  clergy  are 
ranting  and  howling  Jeremiads  over 
*  cannibal  trusts/  and  corrupt  corpo- 
rate and  individual  fortunes,  and  lash- 
ing Congress,  State  legislatures  and 
even  the  Judiciary  to  institute  a  cru- 
sade of  covetousness,  to  rob  the  rich 
in  order  that  labor  may  hold  its  hands 
in  idleness  and  batten  on  plunder.  An 


62 


American  twentieth-century  recrudes- 
cence of  Jacquerie  freebooters!  Our 
youth  must  be  trained  in  early  years  by 
parental  precept  and  example  to  under- 
stand and  to  hold  sacred  the  legal  line 
of  boundary  between  meum  et  tuum — 
and  to  obey  God's  law,  '  Thou  shalt 
not  covet — anything  that  is  thy  neigh- 
bor's '.;  but  will  fathers  and  mothers 
perform  a  duty  that  may  save  this 
country  from  vicious  wholesale  spolia- 
tion? " 

"  Good  heavens — my  Right  Rever- 
end friend! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Churchill, 
"  Have  you  no  pity  for  fathers  who 
must  fly  kites  in  stock  exchange,  and 
play  poker  at  clubs,  and  bet  on  ball 
games?  And  where,  oh,  where,  shall 
mothers  find  time  for  '  bridge'  and  golf, 
vaudeville  and  bargain  counters  ? ' : 


DEVOTA 


Bishop  Roscoe  shook  a  sprig  of 
daphne  at  her  smiling  face,  and  looked 
gravely  into  her  twinkling  eyes. 

"  If,  as  a  privileged  guest,  I  have 
dared  to  violate  conventional  canons 
that  govern  *  table  talk,'  by  obtruding 
ethics  which  certainly  do  not  contribute 
curry,  horse-radish  and  Tabasco  to  the 
conversational  menu,  I  claim  in  exten- 
uation of  prandial  heresy,  the  obvious 
fact  that  such  charming  people  as  sur- 
round me  to-day  are  not  always  in 
their  pews,  to  receive  and  assimilate  the 
homiletic  dose  distributed  once  a  week 
at  the  ecclesiastical  dispensary.  Please 
do  not  vote  me  a  bore  if " 

"Just  one  moment  of  parenthesis, 
Bishop,"  interrupted  Mr.  Churchill. 
"  Possess  your  soul  in  patience.  This 
wild  craze  of  greedy,  omnivorous, 


grudging '  Have  Nots J  is  no  new  phase 
of  that  variety  of  original  sin  that 
claims  something  for  nothing.  Don't 
forget  how  long  it  has  been  since  Thur- 
low's  snarl:  *  Corporations  have  neither 
a  soul  to  lose,  nor  a  body  to  kick.' 
Demagogues  are  persuading  the  dis- 
gruntled of  all  classes  that  they  are 
now  kicking  the  vile,  corrupt  body  of 
corporations,  but  an  inevitable  reaction 
will  be  forced  when  it  becomes  evident 
that  the  kicks  are  aimed  at  the  corner- 
stone of  civic  equity — the  universal  and 
inalienable  right  of  every  human  being 
to  the  fruit  of  his  labor,  mental  or 
manual — whether  that  fruit  be  divi- 
dends of  the  capitalists,  or  daily  wages 
of  miners,  blacksmiths  and  plough- 
men. This  popular  creed  of  wholesale 
confiscation  which  teaches  '  Love  thy 


DEVOTA 


65 


neighbor's  goods  more  than  thy  soul/ 
has  reached  its  ultimatum  in  arrang- 
ing even  pre-natal  conditions  whereby 
all  children  shall  be  born  equal — not 
mentally,  not  morally;  oh,  no!  simply 
financially,  in  consequence  of  abolish- 
ing the  right  of  unlimited  inheritance. 
Don't  worry.  The  wave  is  nearing  its 
crest,  and  when  it  ebbs  it  will  suck  out 
as  wreckage  the  political  charlatans 
that  hope  to  float  into  office." 

Captain  Winstead's  handsome  black 
eyes  sparkled  mischievously. 

"  Party  politics  are  as  unsuitable 
on  this  occasion  as  would  be  a  shoot- 
ing jacket  worn  at  a  Court  func- 
tion; but,  Mrs.  Churchill,  I  am  sure 
you  will  forgive  me  if  I  dare  ask  one 
question:  Is  not  your  husband  a  Demo- 
crat? " 


"  Captain,  your  state  of  serene  single 
blessedness  is  evidently  the  result  of 
fright  engendered  by  cartoon  fables 
depicting  the  abject  subjugation  of 
husbands,  by  emancipated  wives.  Dis- 
miss that  termagant  scarecrow,  for 
behold!  my  undaunted,  conjugal  Czar 
speaks  for  himself." 

"  Am  I  a  Democrat?  You  very  well 
know  I  have  always  been  one,  and  I 
am  still  clinging  with  grim,  dogged 
fealty  to  the  few  precious  fragments 
of  genuinely  orthodox  democracy,  that 
survive  the  blows  of  disloyal  dema- 
gogic platform  carpenters  who  raided 
recent  national  conventions.  Ameri- 
cans of  all  parties  need  to  remember 
that  their  first  duty  as  citizens  is  alle- 
giance to  individual  convictions  of  the 
morality  of  public  policies,  instead  of 


the  existing  mischievous  custom  of  ser- 
vile submission  to  the  ukase  of  commit- 
tee and  convention  dictators.  The  time- 
honored  party  name,  Democracy,  is  dis- 
graced hy  the  effort  to  make  it  mother 
a  mongrel  brood  of  socialists,  whose 
wild  antics  and  schemes  of  universal 
confiscation  would  cause  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson to  gasp.  If  he  could  only  leave 
his  grave  long  enough  to  make  one 
speech,  he  would  stamp  out  the  clubs 
profaning  his  revered  name,  and 
scourge  the  *  populistic '  leaders — now 
strutting  under  the  standard  of  his 
stolen  mantle — as  Christ  emptied  the 
polluted  temple.  The  spectacle  of  the 
so-called  '  Democracy '  of  to-day  would 
so  sicken  his  wise,  honest,  sturdy  soul 
that,  I  verily  believe,  a  spiritual  somer- 
sault would  land  him  close  to  Metter- 


nidi's  axiom:  *  All  for,  not  through,  the 
people.'  The  constitutional  basic,  and 
virile  principles  of  my  dear  old  Party 
will  weather  this  dusty  whirlwind  of 
popular  delusion,  stirred  up  by  raven- 
ing socialist  wolves,  cloaked  in  Jeffer- 
sonian  fleeces ;  and  primitive,  genuine, 
untainted  democracy  must  come  to  its 
own  once  more." 

"  Yours  is  a  rosy  view,  Mr.  Churchill, 
but  who  will  undo  the  mischief  accom- 
plished by  American  demagogues  who 
are  spurring  the  people  into  the  pitch 
and  sulphur  pit  of  rank,  Godless  com- 
munism? What  remedy  will  avail? 
Not  schools,  not  colleges,  not  universi- 
ties where  athletics,  'higher  criticism' 
and  'phonetic  spelling'  absorb  atten- 
tion to  the  exclusion  of  Christian  ethics 
— now  thrown  aside  as  obsolete  as  the 


Ptolemaic  system  of  astronomy.  The 
decadent  tendency  of  our  people  to 
habitually  seek  excitement  and  diver- 
sion at  public  places  of  amusement,  has 
reduced  the  once  attractive  home  to  a 
mere  economic  residential  combination 
of  refectory,  dormitory  and  station  for 
laundry  delivery.  Interest  in  the  out- 
side world  usurps  domestic  attach- 
ments, loosens  family  ties  and  that  in- 
terdependence of  the  members  of  the 
hearthstone  circle,  that  once  made 
genuine,  old-fashioned  home  life  so 
potent  a  factor  in  developing  well- 
balanced,  wholesome  character,  both 
individual  and  national.  It  seems  to 
me  the  dear  old  '  Home,  Sweet 
Home'  of  other  days  is  now  sadly 
transformed  into  the  nest  of  ennui 
and  hysterical  unrest,  whence  all  must 


70 


DEFOTA 


flee  who  determine  to  '  have  a  good 
time ' " 

The  Bishop's  homily  was  cut  short 
hy  a  sharp  cry  in  the  hall,  the  patter  of 
running  steps, — and  into  the  dining- 
room  darted  a  red-haired  child  of  six 
years,  followed  by  a  panting  nurse, 
flushed  and  trembling,  who  held  in  one 
hand  a  discarded  small  slipper  and  silk 
sock. 

Tiptoeing  on  his  bare  foot,  the  boy 
glanced  swiftly  around  the  circle,  and 
sped  to  the  chair  where  Miss  Lindsay 
sat.  With  a  gurgling  laugh  he  threw 
himself  against  her,  and  pushing  her 
chair  slightly  away  from  the  table,  she 
put  one  arm  around  and  drew  him  close 
to  her. 

"Rex,  go  back  with  Bertha,"  said 
his  mother,  beckoning  to  the  discom- 


: 


fited  nurse  who  approached  the  table. 
Two  little  arms  clung  desperately,  and 
the  large  blue  eyes  brimmed  with  tears, 
while  a  sweet,  childish  voice  pleaded 
quaveringly: 

"  Oh,  mamma,  Miss  'Vota  runs  away 
before  breakfast,  and  I  must  stay  with 
her!  I'm  so  afraid  of  that  awful  sea 
— and  Jonah's  whale  and  the  Devil's 
fish — and  slimy,  pollywog,  wriggling 
things  that  may  catch  her — and  please, 
mamma  darling,  you  know  she's  just 
my  very  onliest  sweetheart !  " 

Devota  leaned  forward,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  Captain  Winstead  lifted 
the  boy  to  her  lap. 

"  Mrs.  Churchill,  please  let  me  keep 
him.  He  comes  in  with  the  other 
sweets,  and  I  beg  for  him  as  my  one 
special  bonbon.  Be  gracious  to  me, 


72 


DEFOTA 


will  you  not?  I  stand  sponsor  for  his 
being  f  seen  and  not  heard/  ' 

Mrs.  Churchill  flushed,  but  instantly 
the  Bishop  raised  his  hand. 

"  Governor,  veto  that  maternal  sen- 
tence of  banishment." 

Governor  Armitage  smiled. 

"  This  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  re- 
gretted the  limitations  of  my  veto  pre- 
rogative, but  in  recognition  of  Rex's 
indubitable  taste  in  selection  of  his 
'  onliest  sweetheart/  I  ask  the  privilege 
of  signing  Miss  Lindsay's  petition  for 
retention  of  her  loyal  lover." 

A  tender  light  shone  in  his  eloquent 
grey  eyes,  but  they  were  fixed  on  the 
pretty  boy's  ruddy  locks,  rather  than 
the  golden  head  bending  against  his 
long  curls. 

Mrs.  Churchill  motioned  to  the  nurse 


DEFOTA 


73 


to  withdraw,  and  her  lips  twitched  as 
she  replied : 

"  Can  your  Excellency,  and  your 
Reverence,  magnanimously  ignore  the 
vivid  object  lesson,  so  unexpectedly 
illustrative  of  your  lectures  on  neg- 
lected parental  discipline?  My  young 
rebel  would  certainly  prefer  your  in- 
consistent leniency  to  my  exacting  do- 
mestic code.  In  honor  of  your  pet 
theory — that,  like  other  distinguished 
doctrinaires,  you  both  decline  to  prac- 
tise— I  must  ask  you  all  to  drink  a 
toast  once  offered  by  a  cynical  wit 
when  dining  at  a  table,  which  was  simi- 
larly invaded  by  marauders  from  the 
host's  nursery.  I  propose  to  drink  to 
'  King  Herod/  " 

She  lifted  her  wine  glass,  but  each 
guest  laid  a  hand  over  theirs,  and  in 


DEFOTA 


the  midst  of  a  chorus  of  protests  the 
butler  approached  the  Governor  and 
held  out  a  salver  on  which  lay  two 
telegrams. 

"  If  you  please,  sir,  Mr.  Walton  says 
he  thinks,  sir,  you  must  see  these  at 
once." 

Pushing  aside  his  untasted  pink  ice, 
Governor  Armitage  took  the  yellow  en- 
velopes, rose,  bowed  to  his  hostess,  and 
said: 

"  Pardon  my  unceremonious  deser- 
tion." 

As  he  walked  away,  Mr.  Churchill 
called  to  him: 

"  Come  back  to  us  for  coffee  and 
cigars.  We  shall  wait  for  you." 

He  shook  his  head. 

"Thank  you;  no.  I  will  join  you 
later." 


- 


As  the  ladies  withdrew  to  the  draw- 
ing-room, Mrs.  Churchill  paused  at  the 
foot  of  the  stairway,  where  the  sullen 
nurse  lingered. 

"  Go  on,  Bertha,  and  get  Rex's  bath 
ready.  Miss  Lindsay  will  take  him 
with  her,  as  she  wishes  to  see  Grace  and 
Otto." 

Turning  to  Devota,  whose  arm  en- 
circled the  boy's  shoulder,  she  looked 
steadily  at  both. 

"  Mrs.  Churchill,  you  must  do  me  the 
favor  to  set  my  fears  at  rest  about  Rex. 
Promise  me  he  shall  have  no  reason  to 
regret  that  he  proved  himself  my  brave 
and  loyal  lover.  Recollect  I  encour- 
aged his  rebellion." 

The  mother  twined  over  one  finger 
a  red  silk  curl,  and  shook  her  free  hand 
mrningly. 


*  You  both  deserve  a  sound,   old- 
fashioned,    hearty    spanking,    and    I 
make  no  rash  promises ;  but  as  the  pair 
of  you  seem  equally  culpable,  I  might 
jj^ptK      he  embarrassed  in  administering  jus- 

rs4UL 

tice.  Good  night,  Rex.  No,  naughty 
boys  cannot  kiss  their  mothers.  Don't 
forget  your  prayers,  you  need  them. 
Now,  Miss  Devota,  do  not  let  my 
pretty  imps,  my  tawny  cub  triad  keep 
you  too  long.  Perhaps  Providence  is 
aiding  your  mission  by  calling  the  Gov- 
ernor to  the  library.  Better  watch  his 
door  from  the  side  hall.  Good  luck  to 
you,  dear,  when  you  beard  the  lion!  " 


DEVOTA 


m. 


CHAPTER   III 

PROMISE  having  been  ex- 
acted that  the  "  triad  "  should 
accompany  her  to  the  early 
railway  train,  Devota  went  swiftly 
down  a  rear  staircase  to  the  side  cor- 
ridor running  in  front  of  the  library. 
The  door  was  open,  and  from  the 
threshold  she  looked  in.  The  room 
was  well  lighted;  the  typewriting  ma- 
chine at  rest,  the  desk  covered  with 
official  documents,  and  from  a  file 
at  one  side  a  sheaf  of  telegrams 
rustled  as  the  air  surged  through  the 
window.  The  sole  occupant  of  the 
apartment  was  the  secretary,  Mr.  Wai- 


ton,  seated  before  a  tray-laden  table. 
He  had  dined,  and  was  dallying  with  a 
gilded  liqueur  glass  in  which  iced  Char- 
treuse sparkled  like  splintered  emeralds. 

Doubtless  Governor  Armitage  was 
the  centre  of  attraction  in  the  drawing- 
room,  and  the  auspicious  moment  had 
passed  beyond  recall.  A  premonition 
of  defeat  impaired  her  self-control, 
and  shrinking  from  observation,  De- 
vota  walked  down  the  corridor  to  an 
arched  door,  whence  a  flight  of  steps 
led  to  the  flower  garden. 

Avoiding  the  stone  terrace  in  front, 
where  an  electric  globe  shone,  she 
turned  into  a  winding  path  bordered  on 
both  sides  with  wheeled  boxes  filled  with 
tall  pink  oleanders  in  profuse  bloom. 
A  mid-summer  full  moon  lighted  every 
corner  of  the  sloping  lawn,  bringing 


into  velvety  relief  the  shadow  vignettes 
traced  by  leaf  and  vine  across  the 
smoothly  clipped  grass,  and  adding  a 
silvery  lustre  to  beds  of  lilies  that  lifted 
their  white  lips  to  drink  from  Herse's 
cool,  dripping  palms. 

Among  Mr.  Churchill's  valued  curios 
he  numbered  a  quaint  sun  dial  of  black 
lava,  fashioned  ages  ago  in  an  ^Egean 
isle  riven  by  volcanic  throes. 

The  gnomon  had  been  destroyed,  and 
erosion  by  time  and  storm  partly  erased 
the  Greek  characters  on  the  base,  but 
doubtless  some  pagan  Le  Notre  once 
deemed  it  an  ornamental  altar  to  the 
great  sun  god.  A  prosaic  new  gar- 
dener at  "  The  Oleanders "  found  it 
more  useful  as  a  mere  pedestal,  where- 
on he  had  placed  a  terra  cotta  vase  filled 
with  luxuriant  nasturtiums  that  wove 


over  the  whole  a  fringe  of  scarlet  and 
orange. 

Devota  stood  beside  the  dial,  and  si- 
lently wrestled  with  emotions  habitu- 
ally; held  in  bondage  by  an  iron 
will.  The  night  had  grown  very  still; 
only  a  faint  breath  of  air  now  and 
then  pilfered  and  strewed  the  attar 
of  oleanders  and  lilies,  and  from 
rock-ribbed  shore  rose  the  solemn, 
monotonous  ocean  hymn,  the  imme- 
morial recessional  chanted  by  shattered 
waves. 

An  overwhelming  sorrow  seized  and 
shook  the  lonely  woman  standing  by 
the  dial.  She  threw  up  her  arms,  as  if 
in  mute  appeal  to  some  tragic  fate, 
and  her  fingers  gripped  and  wrung 
each  other;  then  the  clenched  hands  fell 
upon  the  crown  and  garlands  of  nas- 


m 


«&>  "SSferA  «5B»  -** 
pw.^ffmww 


\  \ 


turtiums,  and  she  closed  her  eyes  to 
shut  out  torturing  retrospective  visions. 

The  pungent  smoke  of  a  cigar  sud- 
denly arrested  her  attention,  and  over 
the  sward  slowly  walked  the  Governor. 
As  he  passed  a  drooping  deodar  he  dis- 
appeared, but  a  moment  later  a  great 
cluster  of  rose  oleander  smote  his  bared 
black  head,  and  he  stood  inhaling  its 
fragrance.  His  upturned  face  showed 
unusual  pallor,  and  an  expression  of 
profound  sadness  that  failed  to  soften 
its  dominant  sombre  sternness.  An 
audible  sigh  escaped  him,  and  throwing 
away  his  cigar  he  moved  forward  to- 
ward the  terrace. 

The  sight  of  the  graceful  figure  im- 
mediately in  front  of  him  was  evidently 
an  unpleasant  surprise,  and  for  an  in- 


stant  he  wavered,  tempted  to  turn  aside, 
then  advanced.  When  quite  near  he 
bowed,  and  without  pausing,  would 
have  passed  her,  but  she  stepped  at 
once  to  meet  him. 

Her  voice  was  steady,  though 
strained,  and  her  words  crisp  and 
measured: 

"  If  Governor  Armitage  can  grant 
me  a  few  moments  in  which  to  lay  before 
him  a  matter  of  importance  to  others,  I 
shall  be  glad  for  reasons  that  he  will 
readily  understand  are  not  personal." 

"  If  it  is  Miss  Lindsay's  wish,  my 
time  and  services  are  certainly  at  her 
command." 

The  moon  shone  full  on  both  faces, 
and  each  had  suddenly  contracted  and 
hardened.  The  Governor  threw  back 
his  head  and  folded  his  arms  behind 


him;  Devota's  right  hand  clutched  the 
edge  of  the  dial,  and  with  her  left  she 
drew  from  beneath  the  violets  in  her 
girdle  a  slip  of  telegram  paper. 

"  Having  twice  refused  to  become 
a  member  of  Mrs.  Churchill's  house- 
party  for  this  week,  I  was  much  an- 
noyed, perplexed  and  pained  when 
most  unexpectedly  I  found  myself  re- 
luctantly obliged  to  come  here  for  a 
few  hours.  In  the  midst  of  prepara- 
tions for  my  long  absence,  I  was  sum- 
moned to  a  grief -stricken  family  whose 
pitiable  condition  of  abject  misery  and 
terror  no  verbal  picture  can  exaggerate. 
My  old  friend,  Mrs.  Ronald  Clinton,  is 
prostrated  by  sickness  and  sorrow,  and 
unable  to  leave  the  room  where  her  baby 
girl  is  critically  ill,  probably  dying; 
while  in  the  same  house  the  aged 


*A 


DEFOTA 


mother-in-law  raving  with  brain  fever 
calls  for  the  son  who  is  sentenced  to  be 
hung  next  week.  Neither  his  wife  nor 
his  mother  can  visit  the  distant  prison 
to  say  good-bye  to  the  doomed  man: 
In  her  despair,  Amy  Clinton,  having 
exhausted  all  other  means  of  saving 
her  husband,  has  seized  the  fatuous  be- 
lief that  my  prayer  might  possibly  have 
some  effect.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  re- 
fused to  come,  assuring  her  that  I  was 
the  very  last  person  to  send  as  envoy 
to  your  Excellency,  who  had  declined 
her  own  appeal  when  she  knelt  at  your 
feet.  She  persisted  in  her  frantic 
pleadings  because  of  an  inexplicable 
telegram  from  Ronald  Clinton,  telling 
her  the  prison  chaplain  was  sure  I 
could  secure  help  for  him.  On  what 
grounds  he  based  this  preposterous  ad- 


vice  Amy  was  absolutely  ignorant,  as 
neither  of  us  can  learn  even  the  name 
of  the  chaplain.  Knowing  the  futility 
of  my  mission,  I  yielded  at  last  to  her 
frenzied  prayers — I  drank  the  cup  of 
bitter  humiliation — and  as  my  last  sac- 
rifice on  the  altar  of  friendship  for  a 
broken-hearted  wife  and  mother,  I  sur- 
rendered my  self-respect,  my  womanly 
pride.  Read  this  message  to  the  wife, 
and  then  I  feel  assured  you  will  realize 
what  a  terrible  ordeal  has  finally  forced 
me  into  your  presence." 

She  held  the  telegram  toward  him, 
and  taking  the  paper  he  read  it  care- 
fully more  than  once.  Refolding  it,  he 
bowed  and  returned  it,  but  the  locked 
lips  yielded  no  comment.  She  tore  the 
slip  into  shreds,  and  her  hands  trembled 
as  she  asked: 


"  Can  your  Excellency  imagine  why 
this  mournful  and  mortifying  task  was 
laid  on  my  unwilling  shoulders,  by  the 
chaplain  who  is  an  utter  stranger? " 

He  looked  intently  into  her  beautiful 
eyes,  and  his  voice  lowered  to  a  key  of 
icy  sternness. 

"  If  Miss  Lindsay  desires  the  name 
of  the  chaplain,  I  can  gratify  her  wish. 
Peyton  Knox  has  recently  officiated  in 
the  prison  chapel." 

A  hot  wave  crimsoned  her  cheeks, 
and  she  shrank  as  if  from  a  blow,  but 
as  the  color  ebbed,  she  drew  herself 
proudly  to  her  full  height. 

"  As  any  other  total  stranger  claim- 
ing every  citizen's  right  of  petition,  I 
reluctantly  intrude  upon  your  leisure, 
and  I  appeal  to  you  as  a  man,  as  a  gen- 
tleman, as  the  highest  official  of  my 


State,  to  grant  some  mercy  to  a  doomed 
criminal.  For  humanity's  sake — oh, 
Governor  Armitage,  for  the  sake  of 
a  ruined  and  helpless  family,  I  ask — I 
beg — that  you  will  pardon  Ronald  Clin- 
ton and  save  two  women  from  insanity ! 
Be  merciful;  oh,  be  merciful,  as  every 
Governor  can  be  if  he  so  wills." 

He  watched  her  steadily,  and  once 
he  drew  a  long,  deep  breath  as  if  sorely 
oppressed;  but  her  anxiously  searching 
gaze  discovered  no  relaxation.  She 
suddenly  leaned  forward,  and  her  ex- 
quisitely curved  lips  quivered: 

"You  will  not  deny  my  prayer! 
You  will  pardon  Ronald? " 

Slowly  he  shook  his  head. 

"  Miss  Lindsay,  I  shall  never  pardon 
him.  At  all  costs  I  must  be  absolutely 
just." 


88 


DEVOTA 


'  You  will  not  spare  his  life?  when 
your  office  empowers  you  to  set  him 
free?  You  cruelly  elect  to  order  his 
wife  widowed,  and  his  babes  dis- 
graced! " 

"  Should  I  forget  the  widow  and  fa- 
therless little  ones  of  Norman  Hewitt 
whom  Ronald  Clinton  deliberately  and 
brutally  murdered?  The  wrongs  of  the 
dead  are  too  often  buried  with  him, 
and  sickly  sympathy — posing  as  phil- 
anthropic Christian  clemency — is  lav- 
ished on  branded  Cains  set  free  to  defy 
human  and  divine  law,  and  repeat 
crimes  that  should  have  forfeited  their 
blackened  lives." 

'Your  Excellency's  standard  of 
justice  is  more  righteous  than  that  of 
Abel's  God,  Who  instead  of  slaying 
his  murderer  granted  him  long  life  in 


which  to  purify  his  guilty  soul  and 
mend  his  ways !  " 

"Disclaiming  any  approach  to  ir- 
reverence, permit  me  to  remind  you 
that  the  experiment  of  pardon  was  not 
repeated;  and  the  severest  penal  code 
ever  compiled  came  directly  from  the 
Divine  lawgiver,  whose  chosen  people 
demanded  '  a  life  for  a  life.'  " 

"  Hanging  poor  Amy's  husband 
could  not  compensate  Mrs.  Hewitt  for 
the  loss  of  hers.  The  exaction  of  blood 
tax  is  a  legal  survival  of  savagery. 
Justice  is  not  the  sole  divine  attribute 
— mercy  is  coordinate.  Try  to  re- 
member that  Talmudic  prayer  of  Je- 
hovah: 'Be  it  my  will  that  my  mercy 
overpower  my  justice! '  As  Governor, 
the  issue  of  life  or  death  lies  in  the  hol- 
low of  your  hand,  and  for  the  last  time 


90 


DEFOTA 


I  beg  of  you  not  to  listen  to  the  bar- 
barous prompting  of  a  cruel  revenge. 
Think  of  the  awful  responsibility  of 
hurling  an  unprepared  soul  into  eter- 
nity. Think  of  the  blessed  relief  that 
only  you  can  give  to  tortured,  despair- 
ing human  hearts  who  can  look  to  no 
one  but  you  for  succor." 

"  I  have  never  pardoned  a  convicted 
criminal,  and  I  never  will.  I  cannot 
conscientiously  exercise  the  '  guberna- 
torial prerogative '  of  riding  rough- 
shod over  the  mature,  deliberate  ver- 
dict of  twelve  sane,  dispassionate  men 
empowered  to  sift  all  testimony,  and 
carefully  guard  for  their  guidance  only 
indubitable  evidence.  The  sanctity  of 
jury  verdicts  has  been  so  frequently 
violated  by  reckless  use  of  pardoning 
power,  that  the  value  of  blood-bought 


jury  trial  has  dwindled  into  a  mere 
mockery,  an  arena  for  spectacular  pro- 
fessional jugglers.  Ample  legal  ma- 
chinery has  long  been  provided  for  the 
rehearing  and  unbiased  review  of  all 
criminal  cases,  whenever  new  witnesses 
or  new  and  vital  facts  cast  any  doubt 
on  the  wisdom  or  justice  of  judge  and 
jury.  Courts  of  appeal  and  review 
should  have  power  to  correct  wrongs 
that  juries  sometimes  inflict  upon  the 
innocent,  but  the  preposterous  assump- 
tion of  infallible  prescience  and  *  altru- 
istic clemency '  by  a  President  or  a 
Governor  is  an  ideal  aspiration  that  I 
do  not  permit  myself  to  indulge.  This 
popular  form  of  annulling  jury  ver- 
dicts is  a  fatal  blow  at  the  very  founda- 
tion of  penal  jurisprudence;  and  the 
exasperating  quibbles  of  subtle  attor- 


92 


DEFOTA 


neys — the  systematically  delayed  exe- 
cution of  verdicts  and  the  too  frequent 
veto  of  death  sentences — all  contribute 
to  the  deplorable  increase  of  lynching. 
Pardon  my  taxing  your  patience  for 
this  enumeration  of  my  reasons  for 
preferring  to  leave  justice  to  compe- 
tent and  unprejudiced  courts." 

She  threw  out  one  hand  with  a  re- 
pellent gesture. 

"  Capital  punishment  is  merely  re- 
vengeful, judicial  murder,  utterly  fu- 
tile as  a  corrective  method.  Taking  a 
second  human  life  avails  nothing  as 
requital  for  the  destruction  of  the  first 
victim.  It  is  indefensible  cruelty  in  an 
age  pluming  itself  on  higher  human- 
itarian standards." 

"  Miss  Lindsay,  legal  punitive  stat- 
utes are  not  designed  as  retaliatory 


DEVOTA 


93 


sacrifices  to  revenge,  but  as  deterrents 
to  crime,  simply  because  dread  of 
speedy  retribution  is  the  most  power- 
ful motive  that  can  restrain  the  crim- 
inal masses.  Maudlin  sentimentality 
that  just  now  inveighs  against  execu- 
tion of  judicial  penal  decrees,  is  a  dan- 
ger signal  that  points  to  public  degen- 
eracy in  a  people  who  regard  mawkish 
sympathy  with  culprits  as  an  advanced 
phase  of  civilization;  and  to  whom  the 
condonation  of  crime  is  more  humani- 
tarian than  its  extirpation." 

His  slowly  uttered  words  rang  with 
the  measured  precision  of  a  sculptor's 
chisel  upon  stone,  and  the  inquisitorial 
eyes,  no  longer  sombre,  now  glowed  as 
they  looked  steadily  into  hers.  For  an 
instant  a  spasm  of  keen  pain  shivered 
the  composure  of  her  haughty  face, 


DEFOTA 


and  her  voice  rose  into  a  bitter,  half- 
strangled  cry: 

"  No  mercy  from  you !  I  might  as 
well  pray  to  that  growling  sea  yonder, 
watching  hungrily  for  the  next  drown- 
ing wretch.  I  knew  mine  was  a  fool's 
errand,  yet  pity  conquered  repugnance, 
and  it  seemed  so  incredible,  so  mon- 
strous that  any  man  could  coolly  point 
to  the  gallows  as  sole  answer  to  the 
heart-rending  petition  of  an  almost 
frantic  family." 

'  He  pressed  a  hand  over  his  brow, 
pushed  back  the  thick,  close-cut  black 
hair,  and  after  a  moment  he  answered 
in  an  altered  tone  of  profound  and  ten- 
der regret: 

"  My  fellow  monster,  the  sea,  is 
spared  after-pangs  that  are  my  por- 
tion. Do  you  imagine  that  any  argu- 


DEVOTA 


95 


m 


ment  could  avail  to  change  my;  convic- 
tions of  official  duty,  when  in  a  fiery 
ordeal  I  felt  compelled  to  deny  the  wail- 
ing wife  who  brought  her  pretty  little 
ones  to  cry  in  their  father's  behalf? 
Try  to  realize  what  must  have  been  the 
feelings  of  a  man  not  wholly  petrified, 
when  he  lifted  from  his  office  floor 
the  kneeling  form  of  an  aged,  white- 
haired  woman  who  could  only  gasp  be- 
tween sobs:  'As  you  hope  for  mercy 
when  your  naked  soul  fronts  God  on 
His  judgment  seat,  spare  my  son's 
life !  Remember  the  mother  who  cradled 
you  in  her  arms — for  her  sake,  for 
God's  sake,  be  merciful  to  me — save 
my  boy  from  the  gallows/  Miss  Lind- 
say, the  terrible  curse  is  that  the  wages 
of  sin  are  paid  too  often  to  the  helpless 
innocent.  I  could  not  pardon  Ronald 


Clinton,  whose  crime  was  deliberately 
planned  murder,  but  learning  of  illness 
in  his  family,  I  sent  a  telegram  at  four 
o'clock  to-day  staying  the  execution  of 
his  sentence  until  restoration  to  health 
permits  his  mother  and  wife  to  spend 
a  day  with  him  in  prison.  Sometimes 
when  I  long  for  rest,  the  vision  of  those 
heart-broken  women  and  two  lovely 
children  clinging  to  my  knees,  robs  me 
of  sleep." 

"  You  spared  him  only  long  enough 
to  say  good-bye  to  those  who,  if  pos- 
sible, would  die  to  save  him!  Is  that 
deemed  a  mercy — or  refinement  of 
cruelty?  Your  telegram  was  sent  at 
four  o'clock?  If  news  of  the  reprieve 
had  only  arrived  before  I  left  my  house, 
this  needless  journey  would  have  been 
averted;  I  should  have  been  spared  this 


keen  humiliation  on  the  eve  of  quitting 
a  country  I  shall  probably  see  no  more." 

From  a  silvered  sea  rose  the  metrical 
rippling  of  waves  crooning  a  "  ber- 
ceuse "  to  drowsy  lands  cradled  by 
foam-laced  surf.  For  a  moment  silence 
had  followed  the  woman's  words,  and 
in  that  brief  pause  Governor  Armi- 
tage's  luminous,  watchful  eyes  noted  a 
swift  and  subtle  change.  The  face 
whitened,  hardened  to  its  usual  rigid 
coldness;  all  trace  of  emotion  vanished 
as  utterly  as  the  light  from  an  extin- 
guished lamp  in  some  lovely  transpar- 
ent globe,  and  the  strained  expression 
of  her  unflinching  eyes  gave  place  to 
one  of  baffling,  inflexible  quietude;  the 
habitual  mask  temporarily  loosened, 
was  readjusted. 

When  she  spoke  her  clear,  even  tone 


DEFOTA 


showed  no  hint  of  cadence  that  had 
sunk  it  to  passionate  protest. 

"  In  ending  an  interview  intolerably 
repugnant  to  my  womanly  instincts, 
permit  me  to  say  that,  although  con- 
spicuously futile  as  regards  the  sole 
object  of  this  visit  to  Mrs.  Churchill, 
I  shall  avail  myself  of  the  unexpected 
opportunity  to  offer  you  an  apology 
for  the  grievous  wrong  of  which  I 
was  once  guilty.  Simple  justice  de- 
mands this  admission,  and  in  addition 
I  frankly  express  my  pleasure  in  find- 
ing that  my  judgment  was  wholly  er- 
roneous. I  tender  sincere  congratula- 
tions that  your  vindication  was  so  tri- 
umphant; and  I  bid  your  Excellency 
good-night." 

As  she  turned  away  he  threw  out  a 
detaining  hand. 


Understanding  fully  what  such 
gracious  words  cost  you,  I  value 
them  correspondingly,  and  hope  my 
thanks  will  be  as  acceptable  as 
your  apology.  Will  you  pardon  me 
if  I  venture  to  ask,  if  you 
had  known  that  Peyton  Knox  was 
the  chaplain  who  dictated  the  prison 
telegram,  would  your  sympathy  for 
poor  Clinton's  family  have  suf- 
ficed to  bring  you  into  my  pres- 
ence? " 

"  Certainly  not." 

'You  had  regained  sufficient  faith 
in  my  integrity  to  believe  that  in  mat- 
ters involving  conscientious  scruples,  I 
should  prove  callous  even  to  Miss  Lind- 
say's appeals?" 

The  starry  glint  in  his  eyes  bright- 
ened, and  a  bitter  smile  curled  his  lips. 


100 


DEFOTA 


Shie  met  his  gaze  with  cool,  proud  calm- 
ness. 

"  The  number  of  mangled  offerings 
Governor  Armitage  has  long  laid  be- 
fore the  pet  fetich  he  labels  'Duty/ 
allows  no  margin  for  any  one  to  doubt 
that  the  sacrificial  axe  needs  no  whet- 
ting for  the  next  victim  on  the  official 
scaffold.  That  I  was  predestined  to 
defeat  I  knew  as  well  before  I  came  as 
now,  but  the  sanctity  of  one's  motive 
can  sometimes  nerve  one  to  drain  even 
a  loathsome  draught." 

Only  a  few  feet  of  sward  separated 
them,  and  while  she  stood  apparently 
as  devoid  of  emotion  as  the  sun  dial,  he 
knew  from  the  quivering  of  the  dia- 
monds in  the  cross,  and  the  fiery  flashes 
of  the  opals  rising  and  falling  at  her 
throat  that  her  heart  throbbed  fiercely. 


DEFOTA 


101 


"  Have  you  chanced  to  remember  the 
day  of  the  month,  and  that  it  is  also 
the  thirteenth  annual  anniversary?  " 

'  Yes,  the  thirteenth.  Barring  all 
superstition,  which  of  course  you  scout, 
how  could  this  disagreeable  meeting 
have  failed  to  be  unlucky?  It  is  true 
I  have  passed  my  springtime,  but  de- 
crepitude has  not  yet  attacked  my  mem- 
ory, and  it  warns  me  now  that  I  have 
unduly  trespassed  on  your  Excellency's 
time." 

She  bowed,  stooped  to  gather  up  the 
train  of  heliotrope  chiffon,  and  moved 
in  the  direction  of  the  house,  but  he 
stepped  before  her. 

"  One  moment,  Miss  Lindsay.  May 
I  ask  why  you  refused  to  marry  Hoyte 
Kingdon? " 

"  Refused  to  marry  him?    Can  you 


tiff 


102 


DEFOTA 


think  it  possible  any  sane  woman  could 
be  so  hopelessly  fatuous  as  to  decline 
an  offer  of  his  hand,  of  his  exalted  po- 
sition? How  incredible  the  suggestion 
that  an  opportunity  of  marriage  so  bril- 
liant would  not  have  been  seized  with 
avidity,  by  even  the  most  ambitious  of 
husband  hunters ! " 

"  Hoyte  told  me  of  his  persistent  but 
unsuccessful  effort  to  win  your  affec- 
tion." 

A  defiant  gleam  leaped  into  her  eyes 
as  she  stood  at  bay,  and  in  the  brilliant 
moonlight  the  coil  of  opals  around  her 
lovely  neck  seemed  a  writhing  serpent 
of  flame. 

:<  Though  women  are  satirized  as  un- 
worthy custodians  of  their  suitor's  con- 
fidential proposals,  it  appears  that 
manly  friends  have  no  compunction  in 


DEFOTA 


103 


violating  the  seal  of  secrecy.  Why  did 
I  fail  to  marry  Hoyte  Kingdon?  Since 
your  Excellency  indulges  sucK  sympa- 
thetic solicitude  in  his  behalf,  it  will 
comfort  you  to  know  that  I  sometimes 
share  your  wonder  at  my  lack  of  wis- 
dom in  ignoring  a  prize  coveted  by 
many  others.  I  respected  Hoyte,  ad- 
mired his  handsome  personality,  his 
very  brilliant  talent,  his  diplomatic  ca- 
reer; and  certainly  the  position  he  oc- 
cupied as  ambassador  at  Court  was 
alluring  to  my  ambition  and  tempting 
in  various  aspects.  I  liked  him  im- 
mensely, and  I  wished  very  much  to 
love  him,  but  despite  my  heroic  efforts 
I  could  not  find  him  essential  to  my 
happiness.  Is  it  not  unfortunate  that 
one  cannot  successfully  whistle  love  to 
come,  as  one  signals  to  a  terrier  or  a 


104 


DEFOTA 


roaming  canary?  Since  the  days  of 
poor  Psyche  elusive  love  plays  hide-and- 
seek  in  devious  and  baffling  ways. 
Hoyte  now  has  a  beautiful  and  charm- 
ing wife  who  makes  him  supremely 
happy,  and  graces  the  conspicuous  dip- 
lomatic circle  in  which  he  has  attained 
the  highest  honors.  We  expect  to  spend 
Christmas  with  Hoyte  and  his  wife 
after  our  return  from  Bangkok.  I  am 
sure  his  guardian  angel  was  alert  when 
he  barred  my  heart  against  Ambassa- 
dor Kingdon's  magnetism." 

Leaning  forward,  the  Governor's 
eyes  seemed  to  search  her  soul,  and  his 
voice  thrilled  like  a  viol's  chord. 

"  Did  no  tender,  regretful  memory 
hold  fast  the  lock  that  refused  to 
yield? " 

For  an  instant  she  put  her  hand  upon 


the  jewelled  collar  to  loosen  some  stric- 
ture that  caught  her  throat,  but  her  tone 
was  firm,  her  eyes  fixed  on  his. 

"  Governor  Armitage  ought  to  know 
that  women  are  not  retrospective,  that 
like  other  butterflies  the  present  suffices, 
and  we  flee  from  '  regret '  as  the  real 
vampire  that  robs  us  of  bloom  and 
is  so  detrimental  to  curves  of  beauty. 
We  shrink  from  dead  years — spec- 
tre-peopled— as  one  shuns  midnight 
prowls  in  a  cemetery  where  graves 
may  suddenly  yawn  over  fleshless  hor- 
rors." 

"  Across  the  chasm  of  thirteen  years 
you  still  prefer  to  make  no  signal  of 
reconciliation?" 

"  Scourged  by  a  sense  of  justice 
quite  as  keen  as  your  own,  I  have  apol- 
ogized for  a  great  wrong  you  once  suf- 


106 


DEFOTA 


f ered  at  my  hands.  I  owed  you  that 
acknowledgment,  and  now  the  debt  is 
cancelled  fully,  and  the  ghost  of  that 
one  regret  is  eternally  at  rest  since  I 
have  the  gratifying  assurance  that  the 
harsh  mis  judgment  of  an  impulsive 
girl  had  no  power  to  spoil  your  life, 
or  retard  your  eminently  successful 
career." 

"  Failure  in  love  affairs  can  '  spoil ' 
no  lives  of  those  who  maintain  con- 
sciousness of  moral  rectitude,  and  a 
justifiable  self-respect;  but  occasionally 
such  keen  disappointments  prove  be- 
neficent tonics  in  teaching  a  wise  dis- 
crimination between  sham  and  reality, 
shadow  and  substance.  Sooner  or  later 
men  and  probably  women  learn  that 
the  only  human  tie  that  even  death  can- 
not dissolve,  the  one  reliable  chain  that 


DEVOTA 


107 


no  treacherous  weak  link  can  impair — 
is  that  binding  the  mother's  heart  to 
her  child.  In  desperately  bitter  trials 
mother-love  is  the  strengthening  angel 
that  sustains,  and  when  the  world 
turned  its  back  upon  me,  my  blessed 
mother  was  my  sole  solace  and  de- 
fender." 

"  Because  knowing  something  of  the 
truth  she  could  not  doubt.  To  her  at 
least  you  had  given  facts  withheld  even 
from " 

"  Pardon  me.  She  was  as  absolutely 
ignorant  as  you,  as  all  others  who  ac- 
cused me.  When  that  whirlwind  of 
slander  overwhelmed  me  I  told  her 
only  what  I  made  known  to  the  woman 
who  was  my  betrothed.  When  with 
tears  streaming  over  her  face  she  took 
me  in  her  arms  and  asked :  *  My  boy, 


are  you  guilty? '  I  could  say  only  that 
I  was  entirely  innocent,  but  bound  by 
a  solemn  oath  never  to  betray  facts 
committed  to  me  under  seal  of  profes- 
sional confidence;  facts  that  involved 
two  broken-hearted  women  and  a  noble 
old  man,  my  friend  in  fatherless,  needy 
boyhood  whom  I  had  sworn  to  shield 
from  disgrace  and  ruin.  My  mother 
lifted  my  face,  looked  steadily  into  my 
eyes  and  raised  one  hand:  '  My  son, 
you  swear  to  me  on  your  honor  as  a 
gentleman,  on  the  honor  of  my  boy 
Royal,  that  this  is  true — that  you  would 
be  a  traitor  to  divulge  the  facts  proving 
your  innocence? '  She  kissed  me  when 
that  oath  passed  my  lips,  and  from  that 
hour  she  abstained  from  all  question- 
ing; she  clung  tenderly  to  me,  believing 
in  my  innocence  as  she  believed  in  the 


DEVOTA 


109 


existence  of  her  God.  You  had  the 
same  assurance,  all  that  I  could  honor- 
ably give.  Mother-love  held  through 
all  assaults,  no  link  gave  way; — but 
yours?  The  chain  snapped  at  the  first 
taut  strain — crumbled  like  sand." 

She  had  grown  very  white,  and  un- 
consciously her  fingers  lifted  the  quiv- 
ering fiery  stones  that  bound  her  throb- 
bing throat. 

"  Let  the  ashes  of  long  dead  injuries 
rest  over  all  that  once  disquieted  you. 
If  you  had  only  trusted  me  I  should 
have  held  the  secret  inviolate  even  to  the 
gates  of  death." 

"  The  shameful  secret  was  not  mine 
to  divulge.  *  Trusted  you? '  I  trusted 
you  to  trust  the  honor  of  the  man  you 
had  promised  to  make  your  husband. 
When  on  my  knees  I  swore  to  you  that 


my  innocence,  temporarily  discredited, 
must  inevitably  be  established  some  day 
by  those  for  whose  sins  I  was  branded, 
do  you  recollect  quite  all  you  gave  me 
in  return?  That  thirteenth  of  July 
you  hurled  my  ring  at  my  feet,  de- 
nounced me  as  a  despicable  hypocrite — 
as  a  leper  unfit  to  defile  your  presence; 
you  denied  me  even  the  right  of  ac- 
quaintanceship, vehemently  forbade  the 
privilege  of  recognizing  you  by  word 
or  sign.  Even  then  I  partly  forgave 
your  frantic,  passionately  bitter  accusa- 
tion, because  I  realized  how  revolting 
to  your  pure,  womanly  instincts  was 
the  grievous  slander.  You  cast  me  out 
of  your  life  as  a  disgraced  villain  who 
had  forfeited  all  right  to  associate  with 
gentlemen.  No  alternative  was  mine; 
I  submitted  to  your  cruel  edict.  Very 


DEVOTA 


111 


soon  the  pall  that  seemed  to  blot  out 
all  hope  for  me,  was  suddenly  and 
strangely  lifted  by  that  tragic  death- 
bed revelation  which  cleared  me  of  all 
blame,  and  left  no  shadow  to  sully  my 
name.  I  stepped  back  to  the  plane  of 
honorable  manhood.  Since  the  day  of 
that  complete  vindication,  twelve  long 
years  have  passed.  I  waited,  not  pa- 
tiently, but  I  waited  watching  for  some 
message,  some  signal  from  the  woman 
who  had  promised  to  become  my  wife, 
and  who  owed  me  a  renewal  of  confi- 
dence. Knowing  me  innocent  you  have 
elected  to  keep  me  under  ban." 

The  concentrated  bitterness  of  his 
deliberately  uttered  indictment,  and  the 
merciless  searchlight  in  his  eyes  had  no 
power  to  shiver  the  pallid  rigidity  of 
the  face  proudly  uplifted. 


"  Having  forfeited  all  claim  to  your 
kind  or  friendly  remembrance,  how 
could  you,  who  know  my  nature,  expect 
me  to  invite  intolerable  humiliation 
from  your  rejection  of  any  overture 
I  offered  that  involved  confession  of 
wrong?  I  had  no  right  to  assume  that 
a  message  from  me  would  be  acceptable, 
and  as  far  as  I  knew,  your  life  was  so 
serene  and  satisfying  that  any  echo 
thirteen  years  old  would  prove  only  an 
intrusive  discord.  Our  alienation  was 
complete  and  you  carefully  shunned 
any  opportunity  to  end  it." 

"  Had  you  allowed  me  the  liberty  of 
approach?  I  obeyed  your  command,  I 
followed  the  line  you  dictated,  I  rigidly 
refrained  from  word  or  letter  and  I 
accorded  you  the  silence  you  demanded. 
My  mother  urged  me  to  venture  some 


K 


overture  for  reconciliation,  and  just  be- 
fore her  death  I  found  a  letter  she  had 
addressed  to  you  in  my  behalf.  Self- 
respect  forced  me  to  expostulate,  and 
at  her  bedside  I  burned  that  letter.  At 
least  I  am  entitled  to  your  thanks  that 
in  no  degree  have  I  attempted  to  invade 
the  territory,  from  which  I  was  so  ig- 
nominiously  ejected." 

"  In  saying  good-night,  and  also  an 
eternal  good-bye,  I  beg  your  Excel- 
lency's acceptance  of  my  thorough  ap- 
preciation of,  and  thanks  for  your 
courteous  and  consistent  compliance 
with  my  wishes." 

She  turned  away  quickly,  but  his 
hand  fell  upon  her  shoulder. 

"Devota!    Devota!" 

"  Governor  Armitage  exceeds  even 
his  official  rights,  and  usurps  a  priv- 


114 


DEFOTA 


ilege  I  grant  no  man.  Do  not  touch 
me." 

He  shook  her  gently  as  one  might  a 
wayward  child,  and  her  haughty  repose 
could  no  longer  defy  the  tender,  glow- 
ing eyes  so  close  to  her  own. 

"  How  much  longer  do  you  intend 
to  impale  us  both  on  the  iron  cross  of 
your  cruel,  despotic  pride?  Since  the 
responsibility  for  our  meeting  here  is 
yours,  not  mine,  I  will  speak  at  last, 
and  you  shall  listen.  For  a  time,  after 
you  forsook  me,  I  bore  up  bravely,  sus- 
tained by  the  belief  that  my  banishment 
was  temporary,  because  I  felt  assured 
that  vindication,  though  tardy,  was  in- 
evitable. Sooner  than  I  dared  to  hope 
that  woful  tragedy  removed  all  sus- 
picion from  me,  lifted  me  back  at  once 
to  the  position  of  which  my  slanderers 


DEVOTA 


115 


had  robbed  me,  and  I  exulted  in  the 
anticipation  of  our  speedy  reunion; 
watched  the  hour  of  every  mail  deliv- 
ery. After  you  went  abroad  the  second 
time  I  realized  that  my  doom  was  per- 
manent, that  your  proud  obstinacy 
would  prevent  you  from  ever  lifting  a 
finger  to  recall  me,  and  then  I  grew 
desperately  bitter.  About  six  years  ago 
I  was  tempted  to  find  some  relief  by 
a  change  of  conditions  that  were  re- 
ducing me  to  callous  cynicism.  I  set 
to  work  diligently  to  cultivate  an  af- 
fection for  a  very  lovely  woman  I 
thought  it  possible  I  might  win  by  per- 
sistent devotion.  I  longed  to  forget, 
to  supplant  you,  to  cast  you  out  of  my 
life  as  completely  as  you  had  exiled  me; 
but  despite  all  efforts  when  I  tried  to 
picture  her  as  mistress  of  my  home,  as 


116 


DEFOTA 


sharing  my  name,  my  heart  revolted. 
Your  haunting  face  rose  before  me, 
your  dear,  beautiful  hands  seemed  to 
steal  into  mine  as  in  the  days  when  they 
belonged  to  me.  I  abandoned  such 
futile  struggles  and  accepted  the  lonely 
lot  that  could  not  be  averted.  So  long 
as  you  remained  Miss  Lindsay  I  had 
the  right  to  recall  all  that  was  so  pre- 
cious thirteen  years  ago.  Then  came 
the  supreme  trial;  it  was  the  general 
opinion  of  your  social  world  that  King- 
don  had  won  his  suit,  and  that  the  day 
of  his  marriage  was  not  distant.  I 
knew  he  was  worthy,  was  the  most  ad- 
mired and  envied  man  in  our  State,  and 
it  seemed  incredible  you  should  not  ac- 
cept the  glittering  future  he  offered. 
You  cannot  realize  the  maddening  tor- 
ture that  seizes  a  man,  when  he  thinks 


DEFOTA 


117 


that  the  one  woman  in  all  the  world 
who  holds  his  heart  in  the  hollow  of  her 
hand  will  be  clasped  in  the  arms  of  an- 
other entitled  to  call  her  his  wife!  So 
keen  was  my  suffering  that  I  think  the 
damned  would  not  have  changed  places 
with  me.  Then  Kingdon  suddenly  al- 
tered the  date  of  sailing,  and  in  bidding 
me  good-bye  told  me  you  had  twice  re- 
jected him.  Business  had  called  me  to 
your  city,  and  after  his  farewell  visit 
that  night  I  could  not  bear  the  noise 
and  bustle  of  the  hotel.  I  walked  about 
the  parks  and  up  and  down  the  streets, 
and  though  the  sleet  was  falling  I  wan- 
dered to  the  avenue  where  your  great 
stone  house  towers  above  all  others. 
Standing  on  the  pavement  in  front  I 
listened  to  the  city  clock  clanging  two 
A.M.  A  light  shone  from  an  upper 


118 


DEFOTA 


window;  elsewhere  all  was  dark.  Only 
granite  walls  shut  me  from  sight  of  one 
whose  precious  lips  had  felt  the  touch 
of  mine.  As  I  stood  in  the  pelting 
sleet,  over  the  silence  of  the  night  I 
heard  a  sound  that  seemed  to  come 
from  the  opening  heavens.  An  organ 
roll  thrilling  that  *  Adagio '  no  fingers 
but  yours  had  ever  adequately  inter- 
preted to  me.  Our  Adagio — yours  and 
mine — sanctified  by  blessed  associations 
with  the  hallowed  days  of  our  betrothal. 
As  I  listened,  the  dreary  lost  years 
rolled  away  as  a  black  curtain,  and  in 
the  limelight  of  memory  I  saw  again 
all  our  surroundings  on  that  last  happy 
evening  when  you  played  for  me;  the 
misty  purple  of  mountain  heights,  the 
ferny  gorges  where  scarlet  rhododen- 
drons flared  their  torches,  the  cluster- 


DEFOTA 


119 


ing  honeysuckle  whose  chalices  swung 
in  the  breeze,  and  you — my  promised 
bride — seated  at  the  piano,  the  sunset 
glow  burnishing  your  hair,  your  white 
dress  and  floating  blue  ribbons.  I 
knew  your  touch;  the  passionately  ten- 
der, closing  chords  drifted  like  a  whis- 
per from  our  past,  like  an  answer  from 
your  soul  to  the  call  of  mine,  and  it 
told  me  why  Kingdon  could  never 
claim  you.  Ah!  tears  gathered,  dripped; 
happy  tears.  I  knew  then  you  could 
not  forget,  and  since  that  night  I  have 
found  grim  comfort  in  the  belief  that 
only  your  inexorable,  merciless  pride 
stood  between  us.  Sweetheart  of*  my 
young  manhood,  darling  of  my  lonely, 
weary  old  heart,  will  you  crucify  us 
both  until  death  ends  all?" 

She  had  withdrawn  from  his  detain- 


120 


DEFOTA 


ing  hand,  shrinking  back  to  the  support 
of  the  dial,  hut  the  surging  torrent  of 
his  words  stirred  frozen  depths  never 
before  beyond  control.  Tears  glittered 
in  her  eyes,  and  her  lips  fluttered  like 
wind-swept  rose  leaves. 

1  You  believe  my  pride  separates  us 
now?  No,  no;  not  pride.  Can't  you 
understand  that  my  bitter  humiliation 
is  the  barrier  that  shuts  me  out?  The 
lofty  distinction  you  have  attained  is 
the  dividing  wall  I  could  never  scale. 
In  the  dark  days  of  calumny  I  forsook 
you;  when  most  you  needed  loyalty  I 
refused  to  share  your  disgrace.  Now, 
as  the  popular  idol,  at  whose  feet  the 
noblest  public  tributes  are  laid,  you 
must  accept  my  confession  that  I  am 
not  worthy  to  share  your  honors.  I 
was  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found 


wofully  wanting.  The  verdict  of  the 
scales  thirteen  years  ago  cannot  be  re- 
versed by  an  eternity  of  regrets." 

"Hush,  hush!  we  bury  the  past. 
Twice  at  the  polls  the  people  gave  me 
their  confidence,  and  gratefully  I  hold 
the  solemn  responsibility  as  a  precious 
trust  to  be  sacredly  guarded,  but  public 
applause  is  starving  diet  to  a  hungry 
heart.  My  darling,  between  you  and 
me  remains  no  question  of  confession 
or  absolution,  and  to-night  blots  out 
those  terribly  bitter  years.  It  is  my 
right  to  readjust  the  balance;  in  one 
scale  I  lay  all  civic  honors,  the  other 
holds  my  life-long  Sweetheart  out- 
weighing every  other  earthly  treasure. 
I  ask  at  your  hands  the  one  blessing 
lacking  in  my  career.  Give  me,  oh, 
give  me  at  last  the  only  real  crown 


122 


DEFOTA 


that  can  glorify  a  man's  life — the  ten- 
der love  of  a  faithful,  pure  wife!  I 
will  no  longer  be  denied." 

He  stepped  closer,  took  her  cold, 
quivering  hands  in  his  warm  palms,  and 
she  hid  her  face  against  his  arm. 

"  You  have  suffered  from  my  fran- 
tic accusations  on  that  dreadful  July 
day,  but  you  will  never  understand  the 
intolerable  bitterness  of  my  punish- 
ment, scourged  all  these  dreary,  mourn- 
ful years  by  keen,  torturing  self-re- 
proach. Roy — my  own  Roy — I  am  not 
worthy,  but  the  world  is  empty  and 
desolate  for  me  without  the  one  love  of 
my  life." 


